Every Time We Touch
by lady-kyo
Summary: A RonXHermione songfic, first chapter based on Every Time We Touch, by Cascada. 6th book spoilers adult content... leading to the final battle. Also, HarryXGinny. Multichapter songfic.
1. Every Time We Touch

Every Time We Touch

A RonXHermione fanfic, based loosely on the song _Every Time We Touch_ by Cascada. This will be the first chapter of multiple, most of which being songfics, some from Cascada, possibly GreenDay, and others.

This starts out the year after the trio graduates from Hogwart's and will include references to the final battle between HP and LV (will not be featured).

Hello folks! Ladykyo here. Some of you may know me from the Sailor Moon section of the anime area of This is not my first Harry Potter fanfic (I am a member of the separatesisters pairing with my best friend here at my college).

Here's the disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, or any of the characters. I just borrow them; therefore, I make no money off of them. I just happen to be in love with Ron and Rupert Grint.

This leads me to my other disclaimer, one that in a fanfiction I should not have to make: my versions of the characters will not be the exact same as they are in the books, or the movies. Sadly, I dealt with this in my last story – a reader took offense to my 'tweaking' of a character, so she flamed me! Then, she followed it up with remarks about how she'd been here longer than I have been, and if I really wanted to get flamed, to let her know and she'd have her friends _REALLY_ flame me! Please, people, remember to be nice to writers – we all enjoy different stories, so encourage, use constructive criticism. So I've said my piece, and thank you for taking the time to read this!

love, ladykyo

_**Every Time We Touch**_

**ch 1 – Every Time We Touch**

_**I still hear your voice when you sleep next to me**_

_**I still feel your touch in my dreams**_

_**Forgive me my weakness, but I don't know why**_

_**Without you it's hard to survive**_

She still had nightmares of him being gone. Missions she wasn't included in; she was their best friend, they'd said – they wouldn't put the center of their world in such danger. The hunt had been on for weeks. She knew that he would return to her, in her heart; but in her mind, she was unsure of how he would fair in combat. Aurors they were, but she and her best friends had little experience fighting within the confines of the Ministry's rules: when they had lead the DA, they had set their own rules. _He_ had nearly botched his interview to become an auror, and only his sheer wit and talent had saved him.

Hermione dreamed of Ron every night he was gone while she had stayed at the Burrow, getting more 'huswifery' instruction from Mrs. Weasley than was probably healthy. _At least when Ron comes back, I'll be able to cook his favorite meals for him_, Hermione thought to herself. Finally, after a month, Ginny – bless the girl, she had so much to worry about already, with her seventh year looming – had suggested that she and Hermione begin moving her things and Ron's into the small flat that Ron and Hermione had found three small towns away from 12 Grimmauld Place. The day that Hermione and Ron were supposed to move in, however, Harry had gotten a tip that a Deatheater and possible horcrux was nearby – he and Ron had taken off, forbidding Hermione to join them.

"Are you going to let Tonks go? You are, aren't you? I can help fight – I've proven myself more than once. I can't just stay here!" Hermione had pleaded with Ron and Harry while Tonks had waited outside the Burrow where Ron had stashed Hermione.

"You can't come with us, Hermione. Not this time," Harry had finally said, "You are the center of our world – we need you to be safe so that when we come back you can be here for us."

"And what would Ginny think of you saying something like that to me! You've just gotten back together – she'd be so hurt to hear you say those things! And how can you make me into something like that! What am I – a shelter for lonely wizards?" Hermione screamed.

Ron, who had been silent, grabbed Hermione by the shoulders and kissed her roughly. "I need you to stay here. I need to know that you are safe. I need to know that you are here to help Mum and Dad, and help keep everyone on an even keel. He's still not fully recovered from his ordeal – we're not keeping you away because you aren't strong enough or smart enough. I'm trying to keep you here so we can have something, and, selfish as it is, to make sure that my family – our family, yours, mine and Harry's – will still be here and be safe," Ron finished, close to crying and resting his head on Hermione's, "'Mione, please, make sure my parents are okay. Be here for me when I get back. And yes, you are this lonely wizard's shelter."

Harry had left the room to join Tonks. Ron looked at Hermione once more before kissing her again, harder this time, bruising her lips, then gently kissing her tears away and releasing her from his grip.

"I promise, I'll always be your shelter, Ron. I'll keep our parents safe, and we'll have our life together," Hermione said as he turned from her to leave.

"I knew you would, Love."

Hermione looked at the boxes before her, then she turned to the dust covered, originally red hair on the girl coming out of the flat's dirty fireplace. She and Ron had at least had the foresight to magically install a fireplace and connect it to the Floo Network. Hermione had sent the boxes containing her belongings and Ron's to the flat, but knowing the state of the fireplace, she had apparated and had offered to bring Ginny with her, but Ginny had preferred to take the Floo. Now, as she beat dust out of her hair, she looked at Hermione and spoke.

"Next time you offer to apparate me, I'll accept. And if I don't, drug me and do it while I'm unconscious."

"Isn't that what Harry said the first time you—"

"Oh, yer an awful git, you know that!" Ginny tackled Hermione and proceeded to tickle her mercilessly.

"Ah, stop, I'm sorry! I'll never say anything gross again!" Hermione laughed out, breathless.

"No, Hermione, I love it when you're like this – we all do! We all know that you are not really so uptight. At least, Ron knows… and everyone else who's spent a night at the Burrow!" Ginny laughed as her best friend's face glowed a bright red, "But chestnut hair doesn't really go with tomato! You are so blushin' Herms!"

But Hermione had stopped laughing at mention of her love's name. Her eyes glazed over as she seemed to lose her sense of where she was.

"Ron…," she moaned heartbreakingly. Ginny pulled Hermione to the couch, the closest piece of furniture.

"He'll be back soon, Love. Don't worry hun… Ron loves you, he won't leave you like this," Ginny murmured soothingly, stroking Hermione's wavy chestnut hair as Hermione cried softly, her sobs becoming louder as she kept repeating Ron's name.

"'Mione, why're ya crying? I'm back, just for you. No need to cry now, I'm here, and I need you," Ron and Harry had apparated, and Ron ran over to Hermione and took her gently from Ginny's arms. Seeing that her friend was safe, Ginny turned to her own lover and smiled.

"You're back. I missed you – what are—" Ginny started to say, but Harry grabbed her around her waist and apparated them away so that Ron and Hermione could have some much needed time alone.

_**'Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling**_

_**And every time we kiss I swear I could fly**_

_**Can't you feel my heart beat fast,**_

_**I want this to last**_

_**Need you by my side**_

Hermione raised her eyes to meet Ron's. "Ron? You're back? I'm sorry I'm not at the Burrow – but your father is much better, and I only left there tod—"

"Hush, 'Mione. It's okay. I'm here – I came back, jus' like I promised. Will you grant me your shelter?" Ron said as he moved his face closer to Hermione's, his lips hovering over hers.

"Always, my love. Never leave me again," Hermione breathed into Ron's mouth as his descended on hers.

"Never."

_**'Cause every time we touch, I feel the static**_

_**And every time we kiss I reach for the sky**_

_**Can't you feel my heart beat so**_

_**I can't let you go **_

_**Want you in my life**_

The two spoke nothings as they feverishly removed clothing. Hermione grabbed Ron's shirt and ripped it as she tried to get it off his chest. Ron reached for the front of Hermione's button-up shirt, the top two buttons already undone in concession to the end of summer heat. As Hermione reached for Ron's waistband, he grabbed her hands.

"'Mione, I don't have any protection wif me… Are you on the Pill or anything else?" Ron looked at Hermione.

"No, but I can't stand to be apart from you any longer. Please, Ron… whatever the consequences, I need you, right now. I'm hungry for you – can't you feel it?" Hermione slipped her hand into Ron's pants and cradled his erection tenderly, "I know that you need me, too."

Ron nodded and held Hermione close to him, so close she could hear his heart beat. Withdrawing her hand, Hermione looked up at Ron.

"My heart beats just for you, Hermione Granger. You and no one else, never for any one else," Ron said into Hermione's mouth as he kissed her deeply, removing her shirt completely, then unhooking her black scrap of a bra, "I've never seen this one before."

"Ginny took me shopping," Hermione got out before Ron's hand moved to her breast, followed by his hand. Hermione put her hands into Ron's thick red hair, holding him to her breast, as his other arm snaked around her waist to hold her to him. Ron was sucking on her nipple at that point, then as Hermione started scratching his neck, Ron bit down.

"Ron!" Hermione screamed as she felt herself dampen for him. "Please…"

Ron paid little heed as he moved to her other breast, laving it with his tongue as Hermione moaned about how good he made her feel and dug her fingernails into his neck and upper back.

"Hermione," Ron groaned as he lifted his head from her breast, "If you don't stop that, you'll never get what you want."

Hermione responded by covering his mouth with hers and thrusting her tongue deep. Her hands would not be stopped this time, and Ron lost his pants in one swift motion… Hermione flung them somewhere in the small room. She continued to kiss him deeply as she rubbed his cock into a frenzy, hard and throbbing, standing straight up from a nest a dark red pubic hair.

"Hermione… please, let me touch you…"

"Not yet… this is for leaving me alone for so long," with that, Hermione lowered her head to his groin, first letting her hair tickle his cock and thighs as he groaned and squirmed, then she moved her mouth over his throbbing head, swirling her tongue around him as she began to swallow his head.

"Oh… 'Mione, stop before I lose it… I want to be in you when I come…Please," Ron begged Hermione as she started moving her mouth up and down, beginning a slow pistoning action, adding suction and speed as she moved and Ron growled.

"God, that's it. I'm coming Hermione…I'm gonna come, I'm coming in your mouth, 'Mione!" Ron cried out as he spent himself in her mouth.

Hermione swallowed his salty essence, then smiled up at him shakily, "Not bad, huh?"

"You're gonna get it… I'm gonna have to figure out how to entertain you until I can go again… And I know just how," Ron said as he grabbed Hermione by the waist and dragged her to stand on her feet. He reached down and undid her jeans, pushing them down and steadying her as she stepped out of them and her pristine white underwear. "How did I see those coming?" Ron laughed as he imagined Hermione fretting over the black bra and comforting her shy side with pretty white panties.

Ron pulled Hermione close and kissed her as he backed her up against a wall. He left her mouth, trailing his warm, wet lips down her chin and neck, past her full breasts and down her softly rounded stomach to a nest of curling brown hair glistening with her anticipation. Ron kissed Hermione's navel before descended to her pink lips, licking and sucking gently, then more insistently as she started moving her hips to meet his mouth. Ron pushed his tongue into her wet opening, tickling her clit and carefully biting her most private areas.

"Ron! Please, I – you're aahh!" Hermione screamed with pleasure, trying to push Ron away in her frenzy to orgasm. Knowing he could give her pleasure as never before, Ron continued on with his thrusts, moving her hips closer to his mouth as she bucked wildly, trying to bring herself to the edge and over it. With his erection completely regained, Ron renewed his tender assault on Hermione's clit, pushing her over the edge. She screamed his name as she came. Ron caught her as her legs gave away. He carried her back to the couch and gently stretched her out, positioning himself over her and kissing her back to her senses.

"Ron, you're amazing… I want you even more now…" Hermione breathed as he continued to kiss her, gently massaging her breasts and crotch, keeping her ready for him.

"Do you want this, 'Mione? I missed you so much, you're so tight – I don't want to hurt you," Ron stopped himself before he entered her to make sure she wanted what he wanted.

"Oh, Ron, I've waited so long for you to come back! Please, fill me up with your love," Hermione whispered into his ear, then leaning back to receive him.

Ron put the head of his cock at her moist entrance, then pushed gently, until Hermione stopped him.

"What? What's wrong?"

"You don't have to be so gentle with me. I'm no virgin now, you made sure of that. You know what I like, and if you can't remember, just take me, hard."

As he heard that, Ron crushed her mouth with his, roughly pushing his cock into her, grinning at her intake of breath as he stretched her wide. As they became used to one another again, they started a regular rhythm that carried them to orgasm on a gentle breeze. As they floated back to earth, Ron put his head on Hermione's chest.

"I love you, my Hermione."

_**Your arms are my castle**_

_**Your heart is my sky**_

_**They wipe away tears that I cry**_

_**The good and the bad times**_

_**We've been through them all**_

_**You make me rise when I fall**_

Ron and Hermione awoke the next morning to sunlight streaming into their flat. Hermione woke up first, and when Ron woke up, he raised his head to see Hermione contemplating him quietly.

"What, 'Mione? Something wrong?" Ron asked, sitting up and looking at Hermione.

She smiled at him, "No, Ron, I was just looking at you, loving being back with you… and thinking about what we have to do here before we can really live here."

"I'm so sorry we left you at the Burrow at the beginning of the summer, but I needed to know that someone would be there to protect Mum, Dad, and Ginny. And after the fact, I'm even happier that you weren't there," Ron had moved to kneel on the floor beside the couch, and he placed his head in Hermione's lap. She stroked his longish red hair and only then began to notice the burns, cuts, and scars that marred his milky white flesh.

"Ron, what happened? What are all these injuries and scars? How did these happen?" Hermione began to fret, worry showing in her voice as she ran her hands down Ron's back, then down his torso, taking in the damage.

"The remnants of a Crucio thrown at me by one of the Crabbes, I think… Malfoy may have changed, but the underling families haven't, if you ask me. Both the Crabbe and Goyle clans are darker than ever," Ron said bitterly, "You aren't a full-blood, but you're a better witch than any of the ones from those pure-blood families."

Hermione cradled Ron's head, lowering hers so she could nuzzle and cuddle him. "Oh Ron, I love you, and I wish I could have been there to protect you."

"No, Hermione… you are my shelter, and knowing that I had you to come back to kept me going, even through this one," Ron said as he leaned back to show Hermione a freshly-healed chest wound, right below his heart.

"Ron! What happened? How could a spell do that to you? Your shields are even better than mine most time—"

Ron cut her off, "It wasn't a spell. It was a charmed dagger, charmed not to let me heal. Tonks found Lupin in time to get him to counteract the spell, but it may not hold, so you'll need to learn the spell from him, just in case. Harry already knows it," Ron looked at Hermione, seeing the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Of course I'll learn the spell. Why can't y—it is a very powerful, very painful spell for you to undergo, isn't it? That's why you need us to help you, right?"

"Right, 'Mione. I need you more than ever now."

"I'll be your shelter if you'll be mine, Ronald. And I mean it," Hermione said seriously.

"Well, then I guess I need a keeper, then, don't I?"

"Fine. Now get dressed, we need to get settled and get back to the Burrow. At this point, everyone is probably looking for someone to divert Harry and Ginny's attention from each other, especially if they kept everyone up last night."

"What do you—Oh, I'll kill 'im for it!" Ron bolted upwards.

"No, you won't. They are finally together and happy, and you'll let them be. Besides, they love each other. And how would you feel if Harry decided to do something about you and me?"

"You've got a point. That's why I love you so much. And the great boobs," Ron laughed, and Hermione glared at him.

Hermione just looked at Ron, and then she jumped on him, crashing them both to the floor.

"The Burrow can wait!"

Ah, so now that you've read the first chapter, please review it, and I'd love it if those of you who do review would be as kind as to let me know how you feel about people 'tweaking' characters in general, not just in regards to this story.

I'll record and publish results in my author's notes as I receive them.

By the way, I know that unprotected sex leads to babies. So protect yourself, and your partner.

Remember, I update the more people read and review, so if you like the story, let me know!

NO FLAMES!

love and other indoor sports,

ladykyo


	2. How Do You Do!

Everytime We Touch

_I don't own the songs that I use in this fanfiction. I don't own the characters from Harry Potter. I do, however, own a cat that if he could speak, would say nothing but "Fuck you" and "Feed me"… and sometimes "My mommy…now fuck off"_

**Special note: this story fudges the timeline a bit – for my timeline to fit, assume that Ron and Hermione started going out in October of their fifth year. In their 6th year, they've been dating for a year, in their 7th, two years, and so on. Please forgive me for my oversight in not warning you of this beforehand.**

**Also, one of my best friends – and my accomplice as the other half of separatesisters – has pointed out that I should mention that this story will contain spoilers form the 5th, 6th, and (if it goes that long) 7th books. Thank you. You all must hate my author's notes.**

**love, ladykyo**

**Ch 2 – How Do You Do**

**_How Do You Do!_, Cascada**

_**I see you comb your hair and gimme that grin**_

_**Its make me spin now, spinnin' within.**_

_**Before I melt like snow, I say Hello –**_

_**How Do You Do!**_

After Ron and Hermione recovered from their morning… 'workout'…Hermione looked over at him and smiled sheepishly. Ron pulled on some bottoms and looked at Hermione quizzically.

"'Mione – where's my shirt? It seems to have disappeared… Where exactly did you throw it last night—Was that window open all night?" Ron looked at Hermione; then raced over to the window and peered outside.

Hermione walked over to stand beside Ron and peer out the window with him, stopping to pick up her own shirt and shrug into it before she reached the window. "What do you mean, Ron? It should be around here some— Oh."

Ron pointed to a blue shirt dangling from a hedge outside the window of their small flat. Hermione giggled, then leaned into Ron and laughed aloud.

"That would be your fault, Love. And are you wearing one of my shirts!" Ron turned to take her in his arms, then tickled her when she nodded her head.

"It was easier to move around in than the ones I had. You don't mind, do you? While you were gone, I'd taken to wearing the shirt you last wore before you left to bed. I missed you so much, even that little remnant of your scent helped me sleep at night."

_**I love the way you undress now.**_

_**Baby begin.**_

_**Do your caress, honey, my heart's in a mess.**_

_**I love your blue-eyed voice, like Tiny Tim shines thru.**_

_**How do you do!**_

Ron and Hermione finally managed to find enough clothing to be presentable at the Burrow, and they took their time getting there. Instead of Apparating, they decided to use Ron's broom. Hermione had never enjoyed riding a broom, saying that it just fed a muggle's belief about witches and evil and old hags. Ron and Harry had laughed and told her that without learning to ride, she would never become an Auror. Hermione had learned, taken her Auror's tests, learned that she had not needed to ride a broom, and had soundly knocked each man up alongside his head.

As she remembered the debacle over learning how to ride a broom, she remembered the first time Ron had ever taken her on his broomstick, and how it had help change her view of brooms. On the second anniversary of the day they became a couple, Ron had taken her on the most romantic trip of her life. He showed up at her parent's home on his brand-new broom, with a magic picnic basket and a smile to melt her heart in the most heartbreaking way. Her parents had not been too happy about seeing her fly off on the back of a broomstick, but as Hermione's mother had pointed out to Hermione's father, "It could be worse, he could ride a motorcycle."

Hermione had held on with all her might as Ron flew them over the outskirts of London to the pastures beyond. In October, it was really much too chilly for riding brooms any great distance, but Ron had Hermione set a warmth charm over them for the duration of the trip. Hermione enjoyed the ride, snuggling close into Ron's back, inhaling his scent. A little frightened at the aspect of being so far from town with no one but Ron, Hermione swallowed deep breaths in an effort to calm her heart. When they finally touched down, Ron took Hermione's face in his hands.

"See, 'Mione, it's not so bad with me. I'll never let you be hurt, I promise. I love you too much to let any harm come to you," Ron smiled into her mouth as he leaned in to kiss her. Slinging an arm around her, Ron dropped the picnic basket on the ground at their feet, flicking his wand at it, causing a huge, fluffy old comforter to float out of it and place itself on the ground for them to lounge on. Ron helped Hermione lower herself onto the ground before kneeling to get their meal out of the basket itself.

"Ronald – did you actually cook for me yourself?" Hermione asked, surprised at the effort the normally un-romantic young man at expended for their anniversary.

**_Well, here we are crackin' jokes in the _**

**_corner of our mouths  
and I feel like I'm laughing in a dream.  
If I was young I could wait outside your school  
'Cause your face is like the cover of a magazine_**

Ron laughed sheepishly at that. "Yeah, at least I tried, 'Mione. You like fried chicken best, right? I knew you had family from the States, so I figured I'd try something American for my best girl on our anniversary," Ron smiled broadly at Hermione, whose mouth had hung agape for a split second before she realized how much her boyfriend actually knew about her likes and dislikes.

"You remembered? Oh, Ron, you are the sweetest," Hermione giggled as she launched herself into his lap, almost dislodging the basket in the process. Hermione had taken a trip to the States right before they had become a couple. When she had gotten back, Ron had lost no time in making her his lady love.

"Do you know how much it killed me not to go to the States to keep an eye on you? I 'bout drove Harry bonkers while you were gone. Of course, by that time, he and Ginny were… well-acquainted… I guess," Ron held Hermione in his lap while he looked at her, "I don't trust those muggle contraptions. The only things that belong in the sky are birds, Quidditch balls, and brooms. Those panes are gonna be the death o'ya if you're not careful."

"Planes."

"Huh? What'd ya say, 'Mione?"

"Planes. They're called 'planes'; in the muggle world, 'panes' refer to things that hurt, like in 'aches and pains' or to windows – like 'replace that broken pane before winter'," Hermione laughed at Ron as his face began to blush bright red. She could tell that he was embarrassed but that he would never say as much; she was so proud of him for what he was trying to do. He was trying to learn more about the muggle world in an effort to be able to share both worlds with her.

"Fine, _planes_… just promise me, now more planes, okay? I don't know what I'd do without you, 'Mione. Anyways, let's eat before this stuff gets cold. I made the chicken and mashers, but Mum made the desserts. She said that even if the other stuff was inedible, I'd at least be able to give you a pleasant ending to our evening.

Hermione looked at Ron, smiling with the warmth that always filled her when she was in his arms. Leaning down, Ron kissed her gently, then more passionately, before sitting up and pulling her up with him.

_**How do you do, do you do, the things that  
you do.  
No one I know could ever keep up with you.  
How do you do!  
Did it ever make sense to you to say Bye  
Bye Bye? **_

Ron and Hermione ate with gusto, savoring not only the meal, which contrary to Ron's belief, was absolutely amazing, but also the beautiful night that had fallen while they enjoyed each other's company. Hermione sat with Ron's head in her lap, gently stroking his hair. That was one of her secrets: she loved his hair. It was so soft and fine, curling gently at the ends; the brilliant red color that was so expressive of his personality. When in their third and fourth years he had started growing it out longer, she had fought the urge to play with it. Now, as his girlfriend, she relished being able to stroke her fingers through it, sometimes stopping to tickle Ron's ears, one of his most sensitive parts.

This time, however, as she started to play with his ears, Ron caught her hands and dragged her down to meet his face. Hermione lost her breath as she stared intently into her love's eyes.

"'Mione, do you know what it does to me when you play like that?" Ron breathed huskily, raising his head to catch her lips with his. A she gasped, Ron slipped his tongue into her mouth, playing with her tongue, tracing her small teeth with his tongue.

Hermione pulled back and blushed. "I should probably have thanked Malfoy for those," she said as they both remembered the incident that had led to Hermione's magical orthodontic work. She giggled as Ron groaned.

"Come'ere you, and I'll show you just what that giggle does, too," Ron sat up and kneeled into Hermione, grabbing her roughly by the shoulders and kissing her before moving her hand to his crotch. They had fooled around before, but Hermione had never seen or felt him this serious. Hermione arched into him involuntarily, sighing as she did. Ron chuckled, then moved one of his hands to her chest.

"'Mione, this wasn't really my plan, but… I did stop at a muggle drugstore just in case. If you don't want to make love with me, you'd

better tell me soon, so I'll be able to stop," Ron said as he paused in his caresses.

"Stop? Why would we do that?" Hermione smiled at him, blushing, with her eyes glazing over in arousal. She snuggled into him, sighing as she met his erection with her thigh. "Why, Ronald… I do believe that stopping now would be terribly uncomfortable for both of us, don't you think?"

"Oh, Hermione, thank god… I knew that I would have to wait for you to be ready… I love you so much. I just I hope that I can make you happy," Ron breathed as Hermione leaned up and nibbled his chin and neck, rubbing her cheek against his slight stubble. She moaned as she did so, nearly unhinging Ron's self-control.

Things became frenzied after that. Hermione and Ron made out heavily, hands, lips and tongues everywhere. As they panted for breath, Ron fumbled in his pocket for a muggle condom, swearing to learn the charms for contraception as soon as humanly possible. Hermione giggled nervously, anticipating what would come next. Ron explained that he had read how to put a condom on, and confessed to having practiced before leaving the Burrow to get Hermione. Hermione swallowed hard as she let Ron gently pulls her top off, careful of her arms and face, leaving her shivering her lightly in shame.

"'Mione? Whas'wrong? Are you okay?" Ron stopped to pull her close, worried that he'd done something wrong, and shivering himself in anticipation.

"Just nerves, Ron… hey, you've seen mine, now I get to see yours!" Hermione laughed as she took her chance to rip Ron's shirt off over his head.

Ron leaned over and placed his chest against Hermione's bra-covered breasts, growling as her nipples hardened to points. He groaned as she rubbed against him, then kissed him. Ron broke the kiss and trailed his tongued down her neck to her breasts, licking their tops and driving her wild until he slipped her bra off and gently suckled one nipple. Getting the desired response, he moved to the other before running his hands down her stomach to the waist of her pants.

Ron looked at Hermione for an instant before chucking her pants and then his. As they looked into each others eyes, Hermione gave Ron a watery smile and a sensual look, waiting for him to protect them and the inevitable first-time invasion that neither could wait for.

**_I see you in that chair with the perfect  
skin.  
Well how have you been, baby, livin' in  
sin?  
Hey, I gotta know, did you say Hello -  
How do you do?_**

Ron covered himself and hugged Hermione close before leaning her back gently, fluffing the blanket up for her head. Knowing that her first time would hurt, Ron played with her nether entrance to ready her for hi. He rubbed his thumb along her crevice, feeling elated as she warmed and opened for him. Slipping a finger inside her, he tested her readiness. Kissing her soundly, Ron continued to play, bringing her closer and closer to the brink before he slipped into her, savoring the tightness until he met resistance. Sensing that pain was imminent, Ron leaned down and kissed Hermione deeply as he thrust forward, capturing her gasp at the intrusion for all time.

The pain, no more than a pinch, disappeared as Ron quickly built up a strong rhythm, not lasting long enough for her before he finished. Ron collapsed on her, hugging her close, apologizing for hurting her, crying in his joy – they would never be closer to anyone else for their entire lives. He was contrite for not staying longer, but Hermione just laughed him off, reminding him that she had no curfew, and when he was ready, they could go again.

Ron stared at Hermione, then hugged her again, "'Mione, you are the best girlfriend a boy could ask for," he said, snuggling into her, burying his face in the soft, shiny coppery mass of her hair.

"Man."

"Wha'was'at?" Ron said groggily, not turning his face from her hair and neck.

"Man – you're now a man, and I'm a woman," Hermione said with mock seriousness before dissolving into giggles as Ron snuggled her neck and played his fingers along her body.

"Well, why don't we have some refreshment, and we'll try that again?" Ron waggled his eyebrows at Hermione suggestively. He reached into their basket for butterbeer and passed one to Hermione. They drank, then got back to their previous entertainments.

All too soon, it was time for Ron to return Hermione to her home so she could get her things to go back to the school after their long weekend. When they arrived, the house was dark, and Hermione charmed her window open to allow them entrance to her room. Ron crossed to a chair near her bed, looking at her with a dopey grin on his face. Hermione crossed the room and sat in his lap, looking at him with love in her eyes.

"You got shagged – how does it feel, Mr. Weasley?" Hermione giggled as Ron tickled her, desperately trying to keep her voice down so as not to wake her parents.

"I may as well ask you, Mrs--- erm, Ms. Granger," Ron blushed bright red as he caught himself before revealing his preoccupation.

"Sore. But in a good way," Hermione said, giving Ron a strange look.

_**Well, here we are spending time in the  
louder part of town  
and it feels like everything's surreal.  
When I get old I will wait outside your   
house  
'Cause your hands have got the power meant to  
heal. **_

Ron helped Hermione change into her night-things, then helped her put the last of her overnight bag away for their trip back to school in the morning. Hermione would be taking the Floo Network back to the Burrow in the morning, in time to head back to Hogwart's with Ron. Harry stayed at the school, not wanting to put Mrs. Weasley out, and Ginny had fabricated an excuse about a paper due so she would have the time with Harry, no questions from her parents. Ron helped Hermione into bed, then left through the window, charming it locked after himself.

_**  
**_

_**How do you do, do you do, the things that  
you do.  
No one I know could ever keep up with you.  
How do you do!  
Did it ever make sense to you to say Bye  
Bye Bye? **_

"'Mione? Earth to Hermione? Where are you, girl? What are you thinking about?

"Just reminiscing about the first time I rode on your broom. Remember that night? Our second anniversary, our first time together," Hermione said wistfully as they climbed onto Ron's broom and kicked off. She wrapped her arms around his waist, savoring the closeness.

"Can't wait to get back to the Burrow and prove that you and I are alright. Mum's gonna want to see us, check you waistline, and the like," Ron said as they climbed higher.

"Oh, please. We're not even engaged; who said we'd have kids right away? What have you been telling your Mum? Ronald, please tell me you haven't said anything we'll regret!" Hermione bolted backward from Ron's back, throwing both of them off balance. Ron steering the broom back under their center of gravity.

"'Mione, don't worry 'bout that. Mum'll give us the same as usual: how are we, how are you, how do you manage to keep me in line when she couldn't, when are we getting married, why haven't I asked yet… you know the drill with her," Ron said as they sped toward the Burrow.

Itching for a bit of a fight to pass the trip, Hermione poked Ron's side, "Why haven't you asked me yet, Ronald?"

"Because I know that at this point you would refuse to marry me, spouting off about the horcruxes, You-Know-Who, and making a good impression at work. I figure that I'm doing good, havin' got you to live with me," Ron said distantly as he mentally plotted their trip through the coming trees and hills before reaching the area where the Burrow was located.

Hermione laughed at his practical approach to the predicament, then hugged in close to him for the trip. Time flew by as they sped towards the Burrow. Hermione shut her eyes and listened to the hum of the wind in her ears. Shortly, Ron shook Hermione awake, laughing at how she was the only person he knew that would manage to fall asleep as a passenger on a broom.

When Hermione and Ron touched down, Mrs. Weasley was already out in the yard, shooing garden gnomes away while she waited for Ron and Hermione. Seeing them descending, Mrs. Weasley shouted into the house for the rest of the family to come out and welcome Ron and Hermione.

Getting off the broom, Ron helped Hermione off the broom and gave her a hug before the clan and Harry descended. Mrs. Weasley reached them first, scooping Hermione up for a tight hug before looking suspiciously at her naked ring finger before shooting a rather venomous glare at Ron.

"I could have sworn I left out Great-Aunt Muriel's antique ring for you – didn't you see it, Ronald? Oh, never mind, I'm sure Hermione will make an honest man out of you, sooner or later. Now, Hermione, let's get you inside out of the heat and get some food into you. The two of you are much too thin," Mrs. Weasley was talking a mile a minute, and was in the middle of dragging Hermione into the house when the Weasley twins Apparated in front of her.

"Now, now, Mum, you mustn't take our lovely sister-in-law-to-be-sooner-or-later away before everyone else can say hello," Fred said blandly, reaching for Hermione and swooping her down for a stage kiss before George got her and threw her lightly into the air, also catching her with a kiss.

"Oi! Wotcha think yer doin'!" Ron yelled at his brothers, striding purposefully toward them, fists raised in anticipation of a fight.

"Oh, Ron, don't get your knickers in a twist. We're just helping welcome her into the family. Besides, if you don't want her in the end, might as well try 'er out!" George laughed, still holding Hermione around the waist.

"If you ever talk like that about Her—"

"Hey, mate – Hermione, I told you before, they're twins, not triplets. That line'll never work," Ginny and Harry had joined the group by that point, and Ginny was trying to save her brothers' lives. Harry walked over to the twins and Hermione and gave her a peck on the cheek, slowly disentangling George from her. Hermione whispered a thank-you before returning to Ron's side and hugging him into calm.

Ginny looked from her mother to her brothers to Harry, winked and announced, "Well, since you're all here, might as well tell you – Harry and I are to be married.

Hermione gave a cry and leaped on both Ginny and Harry, yelling her congratulations and good luck wishes. Mrs. Weasley tittered in anticipation of planning a wedding for her only blood daughter. The twins muttered something that sounded between "'bout time, that" and "damn, guess he's gotta die, and this time it's his ability to love that'll do'im in". Harry looked smug.

Ron fainted.


	3. Miracle

Every Time We Touch

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint.

Sp. Note: In this fanfiction, I have made Draco Malfoy not only **not** a Deatheater and **not** evil, he is a **member of the Order** and an **Auror** alongside Ron, Harry, and Hermione. He and Ron are still not friends, but they aren't arch-enemies either. He and Hermione don't get along, but he doesn't call attention to her birth anymore. He and Harry are friends after the whole ordeal with Dumbledore's death and Snape's treachery – albeit, it is an uneasy friendship.

ch4 – **_Miracle_**

**_Miracle,_** Cascada

_**Boy meets girl   
You were my dream, my world  
But I, was blind  
You cheated on me from behind  
So on my own  
I feel so all alone  
Though I know it's true  
I'm still in love with you**_

Ron had no time to get over Harry and Ginny's news. Hermione whisked him off to their old room at the Burrow, announcing that he needed to rest after his ordeal.

"Don't be worried, love, you're fine. Nice technique, though. I've never seen anyone faint in such a ladylike way," Hermione giggled as she helped Ron to stand, then let him lean on her shoulder to help him to bed. Ron had grown so much during the time she'd known him… Hermione was ever petite, but sometimes she forgot that he towered over her. At six feet tall, Ron matched his oldest brothers in height. Fred and George where still only about five foot nine inches, and they took their fun by muttering about big brains living in small bodies and big bodies making up for small brains… all sorts of things, just to skiv their brother.

Ginny hexed her brothers for the antics they had launched into after Ron had fainted. George and Fred had each other, Bill had Charlie, and Ginny and Ron had each other. Percy, even from a young age had never been particularly attached to any of his siblings. It was just as well, because Ginny and Ron knew that he could not be trusted. Percy had one pursuit: power in the Ministry. Ginny figured her other brothers felt the same way, but would never say as much around their parents. Sadly, Ron and Ginny surmised along with Hermione and Harry that Arthur and Molly Weasley saw Percy's shortcomings; they just could not bring themselves to disown him. Fortunately, Percy had done them all a favor by disowning the family. Feeling sick over the situation and worrying over all sorts of things, Ginny turned to Harry and remembered when she had first met him.

Harry had first been introduced to the Weasley family at Platform 9 ¾ at the beginning of Ron's first year. Ginny had blushed and hidden behind her mother's skirts, not knowing what to make of the Boy Who Lived. When Ginny herself had started the year afterwards, Harry had been so kind, Ginny had fallen in love with him. At the end of the year, Harry had saved her. Ginny thought that would have lead to something more, but he continually reminded her that 'no matter what, Ginny, Ron and I will protect you,'; he had not said as much, but Ginny could hear the obligatory, unsaid _just like you were my own sister_ hanging in the air. In her revenge, when the next year had started, Ginny went out with every boy in her House she could stand… and a few from other Houses that she had been careful not to let her brothers and Harry know about.

Harry had been oblivious to Ginny's attempts to make him jealous. He was too busy having a crush on Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker. Ginny was crushed every time Harry spoke about her – she had even been jealous of the attention Harry had paid to Hermione, their best friend! For a while, Ginny had, irrationally – she knew now, felt as if Harry had cheated on her. Giving his attention over to Cho Chang, to Hermione – watching all that had made Ginny's head spin. Finally, Ginny had let things rest and had concentrated on her friendships with the 'Golden Trio', as Fred and George were known to call Ron, Harry, and Hermione. As she paid more attention, she found out that they were doing many things that were dangerous and likely to get them into much trouble. Ginny took to following them, far behind and ready to get Dumbledore or McGonagall should anything happen. For Ginny, it had still been painful to watch Harry get hurt time and again.

When Harry had managed to enter the Tri-Wizard Tournament, he had almost died; Cedric Diggory had not been as lucky. Try as she might, Ginny could not put Harry out of her head or heart. She got close to him, hoping that she could be of some comfort to him. Just as she had been positioned, disaster struck.

Harry got Cho Chang to go out with him.

_**I need a miracle,   
I wanna be your girl,  
Give me a chance to see,  
That you are made for me,  
I need a miracle,  
Please let me be your girl,  
One day you'll see,  
It can happen to me**_

Unfortunately for Harry, things with Cho did not last. Cho was not the person Harry had thought her to be. She could not get over Cedric's death. Then, finally, she had become jealous of Hermione's friendship with Harry. Cho broke things off with Harry and proceeded to date other boys, from her own year. From what Ginny had heard, it had been a spectacular blow-up, with yelling and shouting and crying. Hermione had been upset for Harry, but it was clear that she was happy for her best girlfriend, because she knew how Ginny felt about Harry. Ron had just been glad to get Harry back, even though it had led to quite a bit of tension between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, something that had not been a problem previously.

From the time of Harry's break-up with Cho Chang to the afternoon of the winning of the House Cup by Gryffindor, Ginny had hoped against hope that Harry would recognize her as a girl – no, a woman – and realize how good for him she could be.

Then, there was a kiss.

_**I need a miracle,   
I wanna be your girl,  
Give me a chance to see,  
That you are made for me,  
I need a miracle,  
Please let me be your girl,  
One day you'll see,  
It can happen to me  
It can happen to me  
**_

In the middle of the Gryffindor common room, Harry had headed straight for Ginny. Thinking he was coming to hug her and congratulate her on the win, Ginny had fixed a friendly smile on her face, holding her heart in check so as not to let him know how much not being with him hurt her. When Harry had reached her, he smiled down at her with something Ginny could not recognize in his eyes. She barely had time to think before Harry leaned down and crushed her lips in a kiss more gentle than she had ever thought possible.

Ginny and Harry kissed their first kiss forever, it seemed to Ginny. When they pulled apart, Ginny's first thought was for Harry's safety – Ron was in the common room, and there was no way he would stand for Harry to 'molest' his sister, as he would put it. The two were both rather surprised when Ron had just nodded his assent as Harry led Ginny to take a walk around the school grounds.

Ginny and Harry had a wonderful relationship – until Dumbledore was killed by the Deatheater Snape. Shaken by the whole ordeal, Harry and Ginny had clung to one another, until Harry had been presumptuous enough to end their relationship 'for your safety, Ginny'… Ginny had accepted it, on the surface. But her mind had worked over time as she dealt with the summer between her fifth year and her sixth year, not knowing if Harry would be rejoining their small circle of friends for his seventh year.

_**Day, and night   
I'm always by your side  
Cause I know for sure  
My love is real my feelings pure  
So take, a try  
No need to ask me why   
Cause I know it's true  
I'm still in love with you**_

Harry had returned to Hogwart's, under duress and pressure from Headmistress McGonagall. Harry had returned on a few conditions he set: he would be excused if he needed to investigate a possible horcrux, as would Ron and Hermione – and surprisingly, Ginny as well; no former Deatheater or possible dark wizard would be allowed entrance to Hogwart's; and finally, Hagrid would be a full-time professor, and Assistant Headmaster. McGonagall had acquiesced, and Harry returned to Hogwart's.

The term was relatively calm until the Halloween festivities. October 29th of that term, Harry received information on a possible horcrux. It was a Friday night, midnight almost; Harry received word from Tonks and Lupin via the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room… at least, he had thought it had been Tonks and Lupin. After the short message, Harry had woken Ron up and the two used a levitation charm to reach the girls' dorms to wake Hermione and Ginny.

The four had returned to the common room and discussed their options. Hermione had put her foot down and demanded to include the Headmistress in their planning, so the four had trudged off to McGonagall's office in the middle of the night. It had been chilly, and Ron had put his robe and arms around Hermione. Ginny sighed as she saw how happy her brother and Hermione were; Harry put his arm around Ginny to offer some comfort, and Ginny had leaned in under his chin to show her appreciation, and Harry had lightly kissed the top of her head. Ron, having seen them out of the corner of his eye snorted and nudged Hermione – Ginny had turned to say something as Harry did that, and they ended up snogging in the middle of the hall.

Ron coughed and reminded Harry to check the Marauders' Map. Blushing, Harry and Ginny had pulled apart; Harry checked the map and pointed to a shortcut to McGonagall's office. When they had arrived, Harry cast a wordless charm to wake the Headmistress and unlock her door. The four strode in as the Headmistress appeared, perching her hat atop her head.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley. Misses Granger and Weasley – what are the four of you –I see. No need to ask that. Who gave you the information?" McGonagall said briskly, showing the four to a small parlor off to the side of her main office.

"Tonks, madam, and Professor Lupin," Harry replied, pacing. The other three and the Headmistress took seats as he did so, and he finally came to stand by Ginny's chair.

"And you know that they were… themselves?" McGonagall said cautiously, eyeing Harry's stance and the worry on his friends faces.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. And remember our agreement—"

"Yes, I do, Mr. Potter. I understand that the four of you will not be found anywhere on the school grounds until you have investigated the latest information. Perhaps if you would let me make arrangements with Hagri—"

"No, we're leaving now. Ron, Hermione, and I can Apparate. I can do Side-Along, even though I haven't tested for my papers yet, so I can take Ginny with me. We're leaving. The only reason we're here is to tell you that and because Hermione refused to go anywhere without alerting you. Now, if you'll forgive the rudeness, we must leave," Harry turned on his heel and headed for the door.

"Fine. Take this bag with you – it contains some things I believe you'll find helpful on your journey," McGonagall handed a bag to Hermione. "It is a bag from Weasley Wizarding Wheezes. It expands to hold things without making it heavier or larger. It is safe to Apparate with this – I already checked before the school year began. You should be proud of your brothers, Ron and Ginny. They've been a major help to the Order. None of our enemies expect it because those two like to play so many jokes."

And that was how the Golden Trio became a quad. Ron and Hermione left the room with Ginny and headed out to the owllry where they knew Harry would be saying good-bye to Hedwig. Ever since Sirius and then Dumbledore had died, Harry made it a point to pay as much attention to Hedwig as possible – Ginny knew from her long talks with Harry that he needed the time more than Hedwig did.

The next night, when the quad had investigated the area Tonks and Lupin had alerted them to, it had appeared that the information was correct: a horcrux was in the nearby house, and they needed to destroy it before Voldemort could find it. Unlike Ron and Hermione, who were still afraid to say the name, Ginny had followed Harry – she called Voldemort what he was, a coward, Dark Lord – VOLDEMORT! She understood her brother and best friend's fear, but she felt the need to swallow her own fear and support Harry, even though they had broken up.

The house they had arrived at was similar in appearance to the Shrieking Shack: large, solitary, uninhabited, old, and rather frightening to behold. Ron had suggested they split up, but Hermione disabused of the notion immediately.

"You listen to me, Ronald Bilius Weasley: We are not splitting up. We will not lose another friend tonight. We stick together, wands at the ready, Unforgivables on our tongues, and surprise on our side," Hermione was furious at Ron's suggestion, and it showed in a very- Mrs. Weasley sort of blow-up. Harry was about to agree with Ron when Ginny whirled on him.

"Don't' even think of agreeing with him, Harold James Potter. We may not be an item anymore, but I'm not about to be the ex-girlfriend of The-Boy-Who-Lived-But-Died-Do-To-His-Own-Imcompetence! We will stick together, as Hermione said, and we will watch out for one another," Ginny said, channeling Mrs. Weasley in an outburst that would have made her proud.

Harry nodded his assent, then turned to Ron, "Well, that's what it is, mate. Our girls will be running us till the day we die," Harry smiled hesitantly at Ginny, then at Hermione.

"Don't think that saves you, Potter – get in that house now!" Ginny screeched, and Ron, Harry, and Hermione all winced at the noise. She was secretly pleased that Harry seemed to be getting back to their relationship, but none of them had the time to ponder over it, as their mission loomed.

The four walked up to the entrance to the house and Ron and Hermione cast searching spells to see if their were any other wizards in the house; the spell would not tell them the identity of whoever could be in there, nor would it tell them if any possible wizards in the house were good or dark, but at least they could then be prepared for anything. Harry and Ginny set to work casting shielding and invisibility charms over the group. When Ron and Hermione had finished, Harry walked the group over to a broken window to enter the house.

"Just in case there was something in there we don't know about," Harry had said absently. Automatically, he moved his body to shield Ginny's as Ron did for Hermione. It was telling of the situation that neither Ginny nor Hermione said anything about the actions.

Harry entered the house first, and it became apparent that someone was expecting the group: the broken window fixed itself as soon as they had entered. Hermione scowled at Harry, who just shrugged.

"I figure that as soon as we find the horcrux, we'll be able to cast a charm to get out of here," Harry said as he led the other three up a set of stairs and around a corner before a green light flashed and he dropped to the floor.

"HARRY!" Ginny screamed.

_**I need a miracle,   
I wanna be your girl,  
Give me a chance to see,  
That you are made for me,  
I need a miracle,  
Please let me be your girl,  
One day you'll see,  
It can happen to me  
It can happen to me  
**_

Ron rushed to Harry's side, Ginny with him as Hermione doubled their shielding charms. Harry was out cold, with a very weak pulse. Ron started pushing on Harry's face, throat, chest, and stomach. Harry was not responding to anything, and Ginny became frantic before she froze.

"Gin – Gin, he'll be okay, we'll get him out of here, and the three of us will come back with McGonagall or Lupin or Draco while Harry's recuperating. We'll make sure everything's okay," Ron tried to soothe his sister. Ginny glared at her brother, then shoved him off of Harry's body.

"No, Ron. We won't be able to get out of here without finding the horcrux. Ergo, we won't be able to get out of here without Harry. Now, you and Hermione look around and figure out our bearings while I take care of Harry," Ginny said matter-of-factly, pointing towards the end of the hall. She turned her back on Ron and Hermione and bent over Harry's still form.

Ron nodded and he and Hermione walked slowly down the hall, wands raised and eyes open wide. As soon as they were out of sight and earshot, Ginny knelt next to Harry and put her wands over Harry's chest. She picked up his wand and laid it on his chest across her own. She grabbed his hands in her own and whispered an old Irish healing chant. Harry spluttered and a strange liquid dribbled out of the corner of his mouth. Ginny rolled him onto his side and rubbed his back as she continued the chant. Finally, he had opened his eyes and stared at her.

"Ginny – that you? I swore, I saw my parents, just like they were in the photobook Dumbledore gave me," Harry whispered hoarsely. "Was I d--- out cold?"

Ginny had never believed in near-death experiences, and did not want Harry to start to, so she smiled and hugged him close, "No, you were just unconscious for a while… You must have just been remembering the pictures."

Ron and Hermione reappeared breathless and scratched up. Ron was the first to speak.

"It's a trap – Ginny, get Harry up, we've got to get out of here! The people who gave Harry the information weren't Lupin and Tonks – they were highly skilled-Deatheaters with a modified animagery charm. We knocked off one of them, but the other is just stunned," Ron was out of breath as he and Hermione helped Harry up and out of the corridor. The quad made it down to the room they had first entered – but it was still sealed.

"Ah, sod off, ya Deatheaters" Ginny yelled as she threw a wordless curse at the wall, blowing it open. She turned to Harry and helped him threw the makeshift 'window'. Ron and Hermione followed, and Hermione looked at the opening.

"They could come through that and track us down… _REPARO_!" Hermione sealed the opening before she and Ron assessed the situation.

"Harry can't Apparate in this condition. Ginny, you're not to Apparate at all. I'll take Harry straight to Twelve Grimmauld Place – Hermione, you take Ginny and Apparate to the Shrieking Shack, and use the passage to McGonagall's office. Bring her and Hagrid to Grimmauld Place, and we'll contact the real Lupin and Tonks. From there, we'll inform the rest of the order while we get Harry fixed up. Bring Dobby, too – he can help with Harry, and he's loyal," Ron's pre-Auror training had kicked in, and he had taken charge of the situation. Ginny and Hermione had never been so proud of him.

_**I need a miracle,   
I wanna be your girl,  
Give me a chance to see,  
That you are made for me,  
I need a miracle,  
Please let me be your girl,  
One day you'll see,  
It can happen to me  
It can happen to me**_

That night, Ginny had gotten her miracle. Somehow, the old Irish healing chant had helped her save the love of her life. When she had spoken to McGonagall later, the Headmistress had brushed the chant off, telling her that the old magick did not work like that – one girl would not have enough magic in her to make it work.

Three weeks later, Ginny had been happily ensconced on Harry's arms after a bout of love-making when Ginny received word through Hedwig that she and Harry were to go to McGonagall's office. When they had arrived, she had smiled and asked them to please sit down.

"I did some research on your little chant, Miss Weasley… It seems that particular chant works not on the amount of magic in a woman, but rather the love she holds for the one she is chanting over. In short, it may be funny to say, but you two are the lo0ves of each other's lives," McGonagall said before she sat down.

Ginny looked at Harry and blushed. Harry blushed as well before turning to Ginny and asking, "So, why are _you_ blushing, love?"

"'Cause I do love you… I just hadn't gotten around to telling you."

"I love you, too, Miracle."

"Out of my office with that! Get yourselves to the infirmary and learn you contraceptive charms and potions – I'll not install a daycare center for any _surprises_, you hear me! McGonagall said as she pointed them out the door.

Harry and Ginny left laughing and snogging.

Time had flown by, Harry had graduated, Ginny took her OWLs… They were together, and happy. Once Ron, Harry, and Hermione had become Aurors, Ginny worried more than usual, but she and Harry had come to joke that her love would now protect him just as his mother's did.

When Ginny had told Harry that she would in fact be finishing at Hogwart's Harry had worried over her safety. Ginny hexed him – just a little bit, of course – and told him that as just her friend and boyfriend, he had no right to tell her what to do or worry so much over her.

"Well… Since you brought that up, would you wear this for me? Just for your protection, of course," Harry had said, kneeling with both knees, drawing Ginny's hands to his face as he turned up to look into her eyes. He took his hand and reached into his pocket, drawing out a small, dusty box.

"Harry – are you asking me—" Gininy started, her eyes tearing up.

"Dumbledore gave me this after I rescued you from Tom Riddle. He said he could tell from that day that I would need it someday. I just never knew he meant for you. This is my mother's engagement ring, from my father. Sirius saved it and gave it to Dumbledore for me before they took him to Azkaban. There is a residual protection charm that my father put in it, but I have strengthened it and added my own – will you wear this? Will you marry me, be my wife? You must accept this of your own free will?" Harry asked her solemnly.

"Yes, I freely accept this gift as a token of our love and betrothal, my beloved," Ginny said aloud, taking Harry's hands and raising him to a standing position. Harry slipped the ring onto her finger and cradled her in his arms before she leaned up and kissed him. As they kissed, a soft greenish light suffused the ring and then the two lovers. When they pulled back, Ginny's eyes were bluer than they had ever been before, and Harry's eyes shone like emeralds.

"Let's tell the gang!"

AN: I wanted to stay away from the 'Ginny's a slut' crap – why would people actually think that of her? Her character is not as developed as the other characters, and I think it's… different… that people like to fill in her personality with sluttiness. I love Ginny and Harry, not as much as Ron and Hermione, but they deserve some respect, too.

Btw, Ron's eyes are blue, so Ginny's should be, too… I don't remember much else from high school bio, but that much I know. (Figure in how many kids, the twins are identical, then add in the gender…)

Please read, review, and send me suggestions for songs to use, okay?

Much love,

Ladykyo


	4. Head Over Feet

Every Time We Touch 

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

People, please read and review. It would be nice if y'all would send me ideas about what songs to use as well… Writing songfics is difficult, and the last chapter was really a stretch for me. I hope that you all like my stuff… Check out the actual songs behind these chapters – I'm addicted to Cascada!

love,

ladykyo

**FYI: THIS IS THE REAL CH4… THE LAST ONE GOT FUDGED, SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME… I'M NOT STUPID, REALLY!**

_ch4 -- Head Over Feet_

**_Head Over Feet_**, Alanis Morrisette

_**I had no choice**_

_**But to hear you**_

_**You stated your case **_

_**Time and again**_

_**I thought about it**_

When Ron had finally recovered from his shock at Ginny's pronouncement, Hermione glared at him. They were in the room they typically shared at the Burrow. As Ron gave Hermione a puzzled look, she sighed in disgust and walked over to the lone window. Swallowing hard, Ron got up off the bed he had been sitting on and crossed the small room to take Hermione in his arms.

"'Mione, what'd I do now? Are you angry with me? What's wrong, love?" Ron asked, searching her face for answers.

Hermione hid her face against Ron's chest before raising tearfully blazing eyes to meet his. "Your sister is going to get married before I do. Harry will marry her before you have the guts to ask me to marry you. But worst of all, she didn't tell me until just now!" Hermione sobbed as she leaned back and socked Ron in the arm.

"Wha'wa'zat for! It's not my fault Harry beat us to the quick. There just better not be a … reason… for the haste," Ron growled as he tightened his arms around Hermione's slim waist.

"I knew that she'd tell your Mum first, but I thought that I'd know at least before you did. She's my best mate – outside of you and Harry, of course. But to hear it with you lot – that's the worst!" Hermione fumed, twining her fingers around Ron's upper arm, squeezing it hard.

"'Mione … are you upset because Ginny didn't tell you first, or are you trying to tell me something?"

"'Ronald Bilius Weasley, how dare you insinuate that I am trying to pressure you into proposing to me! Don't worry, I'll make sure that you don't have to worry about that!" Hermione shouted and stormed out of the room.

Ron heard the distinctive 'POP' of Hermione Apparating. He headed down the stairs only to be stopped in the kitchen by his mother.

"Ron, if you would join me in here, please? It will only take a moment," Mrs. Weasley said from her seat at the table by the old stove.

Ron sighed in exasperation before plopping down in a chair beside his mother. He looked at her for a long moment before setting his head on the table.

"Ron, I think that you need to talk to her. She was barely into the yard before she Apparated. I don't know what all is wrong between the two of you, but you need to fix it. I know that you meant to keep her safe when you and Harry went to investigate that last horcrux… but I think that led to some of your problems. She felt left out, and with Ginny not telling her as soon as she and Harry became engaged, she's probably feeling slightly used and thrown out," Mrs. Weasley said gently, stroking her son's fiery hair.

"And how am I supposed to fix everything? Ginny has to do some of it, too. And Harry for that matter – he wanted to leave her here to protect her, too! And why'd she think she could just leave me here, leave me with all the thinking?" Ron sobbed, all the stress and hurt of the past few days converging and spilling out in his tears.

"Dear, go home. Wait for her to come to you. What you do in that time is up to you. But make things right, before she is hurt too much," Mrs. Weasley leaned down and gave Ron a kiss on the cheek as he sat up and stood to leave.

"I've got an idea. Thanks, Mum."

Hermione had Apparated to her parents' home just outside London. She took a deep breath and walked up the gravel path. Without thinking, she reached for the doorbell. As it chimed and Hermione heard heavy footsteps, she cursed to herself. She had her key in her pocket and had not thought to use it. For her forgetfulness, she had made her mother get up and answer the door.

The door opened to reveal Hermione's mother, looking older and more tired than Hermione had ever seen her. Hermione stepped in and hugged her mother close, feeling her frail bones through her sweater.

"Hermione, what's wrong, dear? Did you and Ronald have a fight? Were he and Harry injured on their last mission?" Mrs. Granger led her daughter to an overstuffed couch in a small parlor off to the side of the entryway. Hermione sat next to her mother and stared straight ahead, not meeting her mother's eyes.

"Ginny's marrying Harry. I'm nowhere near marrying Ron. Ginny didn't tell me until today. Ron thinks I'm trying to pressure him into proposing. I know he has no money to buy a ring. We're already extended with our flat… I just want him to say that he wants me forever, that someday we'll marry… But not before Harry and Ginny, apparently," Hermione said quietly.

"Hermione, this is not like you. You know Ron loves you, and you love him. You love Harry and Ginny, and I know that you are happy for them. You will marry Ron, someday, you just need to be," Mrs. Granger was cut off as she began a dry, hacking cough.

Hermione snapped her head to look at her mother. Mrs. Granger put a hand over her mouth to muffle the sounds, but Hermione saw the crimson fluid gather in her mother's palm. "Mum – what's going on? Are you sick?"

Hermione knew her parents were older than her friends' parents, but it had never been an issue before. Suddenly, her mother's frailty, age, and health seemed to overcome Hermione. Hermione whipped her wand out.

"Hermione, you know I'm no spring chicken. The problem is my lungs. Plus my age. All those years of administering anesthesia to dental patients before they improved the technology has gotten to my lungs. Please, put your wand away. I'll not die within the next few minutes. I've got a regular doctor; I don't want to solve this with magic. I know that you used magic to fix your teeth and hair, but we – your father and I – are not magical folk, and we want to live the way we've always lived," Mrs. Granger had stopped coughing at that point. She hugged her daughter and stood up as straightly as she could. "Now get off that couch and go back to your apartment and wait for Ron. We won't be here forever, and you two will need to take care of each other."

"Mum, at least let me take you to St. Mungo's, get you checked out… then I'll go back to wait for Ron," Hermione pleaded with her mother before rising to stand with her.

"Hermione, no. You are old enough to be taking care of a good man. You and Ron better tell us as soon as you are engaged. And you better get to it, before we croak. Now, scoot!" Mrs. Granger ushered her daughter out of the room and over to the door.

"Mum, please! Let me stay for a few days, help you get back on your feet."

"No. Go back to your man, make things right, make me a grandbaby, and stop worrying." With that, Mrs. Granger pushed her daughter out the door and slammed it behind her.

_**You treat me like I'm a princess**_

_**I'm not used to liking that**_

You ask how my day was 

When Hermione had finally Apparated to the small flat she and Ron shared, it was well past dark. The stars had even faded as Hermione trudged up the stairs. She had followed her mother's advice after hours spent watching muggle couples on their daily routines, shopping and laughing.

When Hermione had opened the door, the apartment was dark, save for the light cast by at least fifteen candles set on the small table Hermione had set up for Ron and her to use to eat on. Ron was slumped over the table, snoring softly.

As Hermione edged closer, she could see faint tear tracks down Ron's cheeks. A meal had grown cold and congealed on slightly chipped china the Weasleys had passed on to Ron and Hermione as part of their house-warming. Hermione drew a chair close to Ron before she whispered his name.

Ron shook slightly as he raised his head up off the table. His eyes widened when he saw Hermione leaning over him. Scrabbling his chair back, Ron dropped to his knees and reached for his rear pocket.

"'Mione, I'm sorry this has taken so long. I do want you to be my wife, so if you'd do me the hon—" Ron started.

"Ron, no. Not right now. Wait until the right moment, when we're both feeling romantic – not when we're trying to make up," Hermione said as she reached for Ron's hands, pulling him towards her to set his head in her lap.

"But I thought – Don't you want to be engaged to me, don't you want to marry me?" Ron said, his voice rising as he lifted his head out of Hermione's lap, standing and looking her in the eyes.

"I do. But I want to let Harry and Ginny have their time now. If we get engaged right now, they'll have to share the limelight. Plus… I really don't want your Great-Aunt's ring," Hermione giggled a little as she and Ron tried to imagine the gaudy estate piece on Hermione's finger.

"I don't blame you. That ring is god-awful," Ron chuckled. His eyes turned serious as he appraised Hermione's strained look. "What happened? Why are you home so late?"

"I went to see my mother. She and my father are… getting on in years. She said that they will not go to St. Mungo's. She wouldn't even let me cast a cough-curing spell. They are nearing the end of a muggle lifespan. I'd forgotten about that, living among wizards who live so much longer than muggles," Hermione rasped as she remembered how frail her mother had looked earlier. Ron put his arms around Hermione and held her tight as she cried herself out.

"Things will be okay. Your parents are strong, just as strong as you are. Come on, let's get to bed," Ron said as he led Hermione over to their large bed, the one luxury they had treated themselves to.

_**You've already won me over**_

_**In spite of me **_

_**And don't be alarmed if I fall**_

_**Head over feet**_

_**And don't be surprised if I love you**_

_**For all that you are**_

_**I couldn't help it**_

_**It's all your fault**_

In the early morning hours, Hermione rolled away from Ron's protective arms and stared out the small window across from their bed. She sighed as she looked at the clock and saw the time. 3:11 AM… and Hermione was wide awake. She looked at Ron, who was snoring softly, then sat up.

Hermione walked the short distance to the tiny bathroom and turned the faucet on, getting herself a glass of water. She sat down on the closed toilet lid, and continued to watch Ron. Hermione leaned back against the tank and closed her eyes, thinking about her relationship with Ron.

All seven years at Hogwart's, Ron and Harry had been her best friends. Then Ginny came along, and Hermione had more friends than she had ever had before. All the fights she had with Ron their first year had been washed away when he and Harry had rescued her from that awful troll…of course, her flight to that girls' restroom had been a direct result of Ron's gibes. Then, Ron had mastered the charm that saved Hermione's life – ever since then, the three had been inseparable.

Through their second and third years, Ron and Hermione had done nothing but bickered and fought, picking sides and putting Harry in the middle. Ginny had always taken Hermione's side, even when that had pitted her against her crush and the love of her life. Ginny came up with the idea to make the boys jealous, but Hermione had the best luck, when she went out with Viktor Krum for that short time in their fourth year. She and Viktor ended up becoming close friends, keeping up a correspondence – there was no romance, but it had served to keep Ron in check.

Fat lot of luck, in retaliation, Ron dated Lavender Brown for the first month of their fifth year. What a laugh… Hermione straightened Lavender out right quick, and Ron came to his senses. Ron and Hermione belonged together, and after four years of bickering and tit-for-tat, they were together.

_**Your love is thick**_

_**And it swallowed me whole**_

_**You're so much braver **_

_**Than I give you credit for**_

_**That's not lip-service**_

Hermione stopped daydreaming and leaned forward, putting her head in her hands. She was trying to piece her feelings together, but she kept slipping into her memories.

"One more memory, just to bolster my confidence… Then I've got to get back to bed, before he wakes up," Hermione whispered to herself, scrubbing her fingers down her face.

In their Auror training, Hermione and Harry had excelled. Ron had made it through, but not with the finesse Harry and Hermione had managed. Nevertheless, all three made it through, balancing training with their friendship and their relationships. Hermione had hoped that Ron would propose at some point during their training or testing. In their final testing, they each had to fight a 'figmentary foe' – a foe that could fight but not kill, a duel that would injure, test, and decide if the lone participant would be an Auror. Hermione had faced former headmistress Umbridge, Bellatrix LeStrange, and a dark apparition that was ominously reminiscent of Nymphadora Tonks. Harry had refused to speak of who he had dueled against, at least at the time of their test.

Ron's test had been last, at the same time as Draco Malfoy's test. Each candidate was supposed to face three foes, one at a time. Draco had gone up against three of his father's cronies. Ron should have not had any trouble with his test, but something had gone horribly wrong.

Ron had faced Peter Pettigrew, Lucius Malfoy, and a malevolent version of their beloved headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. He had struggled to get through, but he pulled himself through with spells and no small amount of good, old-fashioned rough-housing. After Ron had banished the Dumbledore doppelganger, he had headed to the exit of his exam room. As it opened, Severus Snape loomed in the doorway. Assuming that it was just another part of his test, Ron shot a nasty hex Snape's way, only to have it bounced right back.

Snape forced his way into the room, looking like a wild man, his eyes searching to find the rest of the golden trio. When he came to his senses and realized Harry and Hermione were not there, he decided to kill Ron. Luckily for Ron, Snape had been out of practice, and his cruciartus curse had missed Ron. Ron had seized the opening, and used the worst of the Unforgivable Curses: he used avarda kedavra on the former Potions master.

Harry and Hermione had rushed the room as soon as they realized something was wrong. They had gotten there just in time to see the light go out in Snape's eyes. Draco had raced to get the rest of the Aurors in the compound. The Auror in charge of their training and testing had declared Ron innocent without trial, and the golden trio, along with Draco Malfoy, became Aurors.

The four traveled back to Twelve Grimmauld Place immediately afterwards, meeting up with Ginny. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny had gone to the Burrow, promising to meet up with Draco in Hogsmeade later, to celebrate but be able to get Ginny back to classes before McGonagall noticed.

In Madame Rosmerta's, the five drank to the success of the day, and to Ron's bravery and quick thinking. In deference to having to travel with Ginny back to Hogwart's to report to Headmistress McGonagall, they stuck to butterbeer. They were having a grand time, until Draco asked the question no one wanted to ask.

"What did it feel like to avarda kedavra someone, Wealsey?" Draco asked quietly, turning all the attention to Ron.

"Draco, quiet! Please. Honestly… we're really not to talk of it outside the compound. You'll get us all suspended from duty the first day if you're not careful," Hermione hissed. Harry looked from his best friend to Draco, and then back again.

"Ron, he's right. What happened? How did it feel to do it? I already know how it feels to be the target," Harry said, leaning forward with his arm around Ginny's waist.

"Harry, don't push him. He's tired… Unlike you, he had to face four foes, one of which could have actually hurt or killed him," Ginny said with a frown.

"Thanks, Gin, 'Mione. But I need to say this. It felt awful…Like I was crushing some pulsing being. I think I know that it was his life pulse that I was snuffing out… I don't ever want to do that again," Ron shivered as he finished his tale.

Draco seemed satisfied with Ron's answer, and he, Harry, and Ginny got up and left the table. Hermione just looked at Ron, who in turn looked at the table. Hermione reached out her hand to touch Ron's cheek, but he had turned away from her.

"I don't need your brand of pity, Hermione. I know, if I had just done my test faster, more orderly, like you three, I wouldn't have had to fight Snape. Well, I'm sorry. I had to do it my way, and if I could change it, I don't' think I would. He had to be taken care of, and it's done," Ron had said bitterly, still not looking at Hermione.

"I was not going to say anything about that. I wanted you to know how proud I am of you – you killed one of the highest ranking Deatheaters still alive and not imprisoned. Snape managed to outthink Dumbledore and McGonagall… You are so brave, and so quick-witted, you killed one of Voldemorts most trusted lieutenants. My Ron is responsible for the beginning of the end of Voldemort's second reign of terror," Hermione said as she lifted Ron's head off the table to kiss him soundly.

**_You are the bearer_**

_**Of unconditional things**_

_**You held your breath**_

_**And the door for me**_

_**Thanks for your patience**_

That night, as they lay in their bed at the Burrow, Ron held Hermione. They were so exhausted after their exams and the lovemaking that came as celebration afterwards that they could not even sleep. Hermione just smiled as she traced a lazy finger up and down Ron's jaw and chest. Ron occasionally squeezed, almost as if to remind himself that they were together and alive, and both Aurors.

"'Mione… are you—"

"Hush, Ron. There is nothing to worry about. I couldn't be, not right now. But sometime in the future, when we are ready," Hermione smiled, not even letting Ron finish his question.

"But I didn't… Did you?" Ron asked.

"I know my contraception charms very well, my love. And if by any chance they failed, your mum will faint out of joy. But stop worrying, and get some sleep," Hermione kissed his cheek and rolled over before he could see the tear rolling down her cheek.

_**You're the best listener **_

_**That I've ever met**_

_**You're my best friend**_

_**Best friend with benefits**_

_**What took me so long**_

Hermione roused herself from her daydreams long enough to shuffle back to bed. Ron was asleep, but his posture looked like he was just waiting for her to come back and crawl into his arms. He just loved her so much, it seemed like an ache that would not go away.

Not like he wanted it to, or that Hermione wanted it to, but it did sometimes jerk them up short. They had each wondered at times if it would suddenly fade away, leaving them together, loving one another, but not in love anymore. Hermione crawled under the covers and snuggled close to Ron, inhaling his scent, and knowing that they would never fall out of love. Their relationship was just too strong. It was based on friendship at first, but then a burning passion and a love so deep that it swallowed up everyone around them. Even people who did not particularly like them felt the warmth.

Lavender Brown and Draco Malfoy, a most odd couple, had felt the warmth, and their mutual distaste for one or the other had brought them together. They had hidden for a long time their own relationship, but in the end, they were living together, and it was said that Lavender had a surprise to share with the poor boy after their Aurors' exams.

_**I've never felt this healthy before**_

_**I've never wanted something rational**_

_**I am aware now**_

_**I am aware now**_

Before Hermione drifted off to sleep, she thought of the child she and Ron would make some day. Irrationally, every time her monthly flow began, she cried. Every month, another week of bleeding that told her that she was not pregnant.

She knew it was crazy, and she and Ron were not ready, but she wanted his child. She wanted something that would bring them even closer together. She rolled onto her side to check her pad when she realized…

_I'm already three days late…_

AN: sorry, had to do that. I am on cloud nine. My boyfriend of three (almost 4) years has put a down payment on a ring.

Ladies and gents, by the end of this summer, I may be engaged.

Please send all congrats, reviews, and ideas for songs for the upcoming chapters to me via reviews on the site, or at I really need ideas for songs. Just to fill you in, I am planning a proposal chapter for somepoint, more Harry/Ginny chapters, some Draco ones, and some battle chapters.

Love,

Ladykyo


	5. A Neverending Dream

Every Time We Touch 

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

People, please read and review. It would be nice if y'all would send me ideas about what songs to use as well… Writing songfics is difficult, and the last chapter was really a stretch for me. I hope that you all like my stuff… Check out the actual songs behind these chapters – We're addicted to Cascada!

Ch5 – **A Neverending Dream**

**_A Neverending Dream_**, Cascada

_**I'm waiting for the night drifting away  
On the waves of my dreams to another day   
I'm standing on a hill and beyond the clouds  
The winds blowing still and catching my doubts  
**_

Ron and Hermione woke late the next morning. They were due at the Burrow for brunch. Hermione was to start planning the wedding with Ginny, Fleur, and Mrs. Weasley. Ron and Harry were going to have a meeting to discuss the suit of action regarding the last of the horcruxes. Hermione rolled over in bed and looked at Ron, who had been awake for a while, staring at Hermione's back until she turned to face him of her own volition.

"Ron, I think that we need to—I'm going to be sick!" Hermione shot out of bed and raced over to the bathroom, becoming violently sick as she leand over the commode. "Ron, get dressed… If I get better, I'll go with you, but if I can't get this under control, I'll have to stay here."

"'Mione, are you okay? You're vomiting'n'you're really pale, d'you want me to stay with you?" worry furrowed Ron's brow as he made his way over to Hermione, who was leaning back against the side of the bathtub, sweat beading on her brow born of her effort to not be sick.

"No, I'll be fine shortly. You get dressed. When I get this under control, I'll be right along. You, however, will hear no end of it if you miss the meeting. Apologize to your mum and sisters for me, okay? I'll be along later," Hermione said as she leaned over and vomited once more.

Ron leaned down and looked straight into Hermione's eyes. he reached up to the sink and grabbed a washcloth. Wetting it, he kneeled next to Hermione and wiped her brow. "Are you sure? D'you want me to send Mum over to take—"

"No! Don't mention anything! Let them think we were up all night making love, I don't care… I just… don't want them to think that I'm… getting lazy," Hermione finished, not wanting to let Ron know what she really thought was happening.

"All right, 'Mione. Promise me you'll get something into your stomach. Use your self-phone to call mine when you are ready to head over to the Burrow," Ron said as he rose to dress and leave.

"CELL phone, Ron. Its 'cell', not 'self'."

"Umm… Yeah. Mad."

Hermione was smiling on the inside as she thought of what her morning-sickness meant. 'Morning-sickness', she thought to herself. 'Could I really be pregnant? Not that I want to force his hand…' Hermione could not help the joy she felt as she realized that she could be pregnant with the love of her life's child. She could barely contain the smile that was trying to steal across her face as she watched Ron change and move closer to the window, so he could better Apparate to the Burrow.

At the Burrow, Ron Apparated to the kitchen where he had eaten so many homemade meals as he had grown up. The table that was usually full of redheads was nearly empty, surrounded by the redheads of his mother and sister, and the lone white-blonde head of his beloved sister-in-law.

"'Ello, Mum," Ron dropped a kiss on his mother's cheek. "Ginny, here's one for you," he chirped as he swooped down to peck his petite sister on the cheek, "And one for Fleur," Ron waggled his eyebrows theatrically as he lifted his sister-in-law out of her chair to kiss her with great flourish. More than anything his fourth year, other than Hermione and her mass of curly chestnut waves, Ron had fallen for Fleur Delacourt, now his sister-in-law.

Where Ginny was petite, Fleur was both petite and willowy at the same time. She owed it to the mythical creatures one of her fore-mothers had wedded and bedded, and in the end, both Fleur and her sister Gabrielle almost always, inevitably, ended up ensnaring unwitting males in their inborn magic. That magic had charmed Ron in his fourth year, leading to much of his trouble with Hermione that year, and the beginning of their fifth year. Now, with Fleur married to Bill, the eldest Weasley boy, Ron had felt his feelings for Fleur mellow to the love and protectiveness he felt for Ginny… Unfortunately for Gabrielle, with her sister's marriage, she had gained five brothers' worth of over-protection. Percy did not figure in… He had not even come to the wedding. No one expected him to show for Ginny's, even though she was the only girl born into the Weasley household.

"Ron, where ees 'Ermione? I 'ad expected 'er to 'elp us wis ze preparations. 'As she fallen ill?" Fleur had made every attempt to get closer to Hermione, and their interactions were still sometimes strained, but the two were almost as close as Ginny and Hermione were. Ginny had flat-out refuse to become as close to Fleur as Hermione had. Ginny could not stand her accent. Ginny could not stand Fleur's perfume, instead claiming that it was an 'odor'. Ginny allowed Fleur to be a part of the wedding planning simply because she was part of the family, and Ginny had no other sisters… Hermione was the closest thing, but she and Ron were not married; Mrs. Weasley had 'harrumphed' at that, but Ginny had declared that Hermione would be her Maid of Honor while Fleur would be her Matron of Honor; Gabrielle would be a bridesmaid.

Every time Mrs. Weasley had tried to speak to Ginny about the bridal party, telling her that she must have as many bridesmaids as Harry had groomsmen, Ginny threatened to elope. Harry would have Ron as his best man, but there were four more Weasley brothers to consider. Hermione would be escorted by Ron, as their places in the bridal party dictated. Fleur would be escorted by her husband. Ginny had invited Tonks to serve her at the wedding; Nymphadora had accepted, and Lupin had graciously agreed to have Charlie escort the metamorphus. Gabrielle would be escorted by one of the twins, but that had left one more brother.

When Ron had entered the kitchen, the three ladies of the house were arguing – discussing had been how they had put it – the last of the bridal party.

"You could invite Lavender to serve in the last capacity," Mrs. Weasley had offered, clearly at the bottom of her list of picks. Putting Lavender, Ron, and Hermione in the same building let alone the same table at the reception could prove disastrous, and Molly Weasley certainly did not want to lose Hermione.

"Vat about von of my companions from Beaubatons?" Fleur suggested, twirling a strand of her own hair between her fingers before she reached over to smooth Ginny's soft waves. Ron looked at the women he cherished and realized where he had gotten some of his affinity for Hermione's riotous mass of curls. All three women sitting before him had curls or waves of some sort, and each head of hair fit it's owner: gentle tendrils that curled tightly at their ends for Fleur, befitting her relaxed nature – until someone messed with those she loved, blood or no. Soft waves surrounded Ginny like a halo; she had gotten into some trouble before Harry, but the color shocked the softness, exhibited in her nature: she was a wildcat in battle, and, as Ron had unfortunately overheard Harry as he spoke with close friends, in the bedroom. Honor had dictated that Ron beat the crap out of his best friend for that mishap… but Ron had healed Harry afterward (and Harry never spoke like that of Ginny again). Perfectly tamed ringlets amassed Molly Weasley's head of hair, tightly gathered into a long, thick braid at the nape of her neck: she ran her family, she protected them, and she kept them in line. Just like her braid.

That was probably why Ron loved Hermione's hair so much. Once it had stopped being so bushy, it had become an amazing mass of ringlets and curls and waves, never the same two days in a row – so completely unlike Hermione, who was always so in control. 'She's so in control, she can tell the moment her bloody's gonna start', Ron thought to himself.

"You could always ask Pansy Parkinson, if you're looking to star the next wizarding war," Ron said as he reached into a cupboard, coming up with a couple of apples and an electric screwdriver. "Mum? Don't tell me you're letting Dad cook, are you?" Ron asked with a look akin to fear on his face.

"Luna Lovegood."

Mrs. Weasley and Fleur seemed to have forgotten Ginny was in the room as they had bickered over the bridal party. Each dropped her jaw at Ginny's proposal.

"Luna"

"Lovegood?"

"Ginny, why not ask Angelina to fill in. She'd be more the happy to be walking down _some_ aisle with Fred, even if it's not her own," Ron suggested.

"Perfect! Glad I thought of it!" Ginny smirked at her brother as laughter twinkled in his eyes. That had done things like that to each other since Ginny could talk, it seemed. They were not twins, but they were damn close. "By the way, where is my _maid _of honor, Ronald, dear?" Ginny said sweetly, steel glinting in her eyes. Ron shrank back from that look… He knew it well; it usually meant that a bat-bogey hex was heading straight for him.

"She'll be around later. She was sick this morning. Which is weird, if you ask me, 'cause she didn't eat last night, even though I made some of her favorites. But she was up most of last night – Why are you all smiling?" Ron asked suspiciously. Fleur, Mrs. Weasley, and Ginny all smiled knowingly to one another, then turned those saccharine-dripping smiles to Ron. "What am I supposed to know?"

"Congratulations, Ron. You two 'ave beaten Bill and me to our goal," Fleur smiled shyly. Ginny shared a look with her, and both giggled.

"You even beat me an'Harry, Ron!"

"Oh, I wish that other things had happened first, but Ron! A grandbaby for me to spoil. And part muggle, to boot! Your father will be so proud!" Mrs. Weasley rose from her chair and crushed her youngest boy to her bosom, tearing of joy running down her cheeks.

"Don't say anything to Hermione. She's gonna kill me!" Ron gulped as he wriggled out of his mother's embrace, running for the sanctuary of his meeting. He only hoped his brothers and Harry had not been eavesdropping.

_**I'm hunting on the night the slave to my dream **_

**_An illustrated seen descends in the sleep  
We're playing for the fights emotional games  
I'm turning off my eyes and hiding my shame_**

It had taken Hermione an hour to get her stomach under control. She managed to stop vomiting, get cleaned up and dressed, and eat some toast before she tried to figure out the rest of her day. As she picked out clothes for the trials of wedding-planning, she found herself smiling and looking at the apartment, imagining how it would have to be rearranged to accommodate an infant and then a toddler. There was no way she and Ron would be able to afford a larger place until the child was at least four or five years old, and they could not go back to the Burrow, which was still cramped, with Charlie back for the time being to work with the Order, and Bill, Fleur, Fred, George, and Ginny back for the same reason. Harry was often there instead of at Twelve Grimmauld Place, due to the fact that Ginny was still not to stay there with him on any regular basis; Kreacher was still very much a threat. He could not be allowed near any food or drink unless Harry was there to explicitly order that no special 'seasonings' were used in those things served to the members of the Order.

Hermione was taking her time as she got changed. Every so often, she would turn sideways so she could imagine what she would look like thick with Ron's child. She would jut her flat stomach out and try to see if she he gained any tell-tale weight. Finally, she decided on shorts and an empire-waisted halter top.

'It'll be comfy, at least until my boobs get too big with pregnancy,' she smiled to herself. She slipped on shorts that came to well-above her knees and strapped on her favorite heeled sandals. A quick brush of her hair and some make-up to disguise the fact that she had morning-sickness, and she was ready to go.

She stepped into the light of the sunny window and Apparated with a POP to the Burrow, where her family and lover waited.

"Sorry I'm late, I was up late last night, and I just couldn't get out of bed this morning," Hermione said as she strolled into the Weasley kitchen around lunchtime. Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, and Fleur all sent Hermione the same knowing smile. "What? Don't you believe me?" Hermione asked innocently, smiling. She hugged the other three women before grabbing a cup of coffee and sitting down next to Ginny.

"No need to pretend with us, love. We know what's going on, Hermione," Mrs. Weasley said, her eyes misting up.

"Well… Okay, we are living together, but I'm sure you know… yeah. So, have you all decided on the bridal party?" Hermione was desperately trying to shift the focus from herself.

"'Ermione, 'ow 'ave you managed to do it in such short time? Bill and I 'ave been trying for ages, and nozzin! 'Ow did you do it?" Fleur asked, fire in her eyes.

"That's rather rude for you to ask, even of a close friend, Fleur! Now, let's get on with business," Hermione was beginning to get a reckoning of what had happened: Ron had spilt the beans.

"Well, guess he's gonna hafta marry ya now, huh, Herms?" Ginny smiled smugly.

"That's it! RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY! GET YOUR ARSE IN THIS KITCHEN RIGHT NOW!" Hermione screamed at the top of her lungs.

_**A neverending dream a dream of you**_

**_I believe I received a sign of you  
Tonight I want to hide my feelings too  
As you do and I want to be with you_**

Ron was horsing around with his brothers and Harry when a sound tour through the house and chilled his blood, along with that of Harry, Fred, and George.

"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY! GET YOUR ARSE IN THIS KITCHEN RIGHT NOW!" Hermione's voice rang throughout the house, and Ron blanched as he heard it.

"Mates, it was an honor to serve with you. Carry on in my name when I'm gone," Ron whispered as he stood up to walk to the kitchen, where he would face the four most fearsome creatures he had ever encountered in his nineteen years. Harry rose to go with him, which Ron had expected of his best friend. Surprisingly, the twins also rose to face the music alongside their brother.

The four young men marched into the kitchen where the four women were seated. Hermione turned a venomous glare to Ron, and spoke before he could say anything.

"What have you said that could be misconstrued? Be honest with me, or you won't even get a chance to regret it," Hermione gritted out, slitting her eyes to Harry and the twins before finally dragging them back to Ron's eyes.

"I tried to say that you had been up last night, that you didn't really eat, so it wasn't my cooking, but you'd been sick this morning. What'd I do wrong?" Ron asked, genuinely curious. One look at the horror on Hermione's face told him he'd done something terribly wrong or out of line.

"What did I tell you before you left this morning?" Hermione sighed as she realized what had happened: Ron hadn't said anything that he thought was wrong.

"Oh. To tell Mum that you weren't feeling well and would be along later?" Ron said hopefully.

"WRONG! I told you not to say anything! I told you to let them draw their own conclusions, and your mentioning of my illness this morning has led everyone to believe that I'm pregnant!" Hermione completely lost her patience with Ron, and she stood to leave. Ron grabbed her arm before she could move.

"I'm sorry, but I really didn't mean to do anything of the sort. Are you pregnant?" Ron asked, blushing furiously.

"I'm three days late. Usually, I'm like a calendar – you could set your schedule by me. But this month, I'm late," Hermione started to blush as well. All eyes were on the couple. Mrs. Weasley began to tear up again, and Ginny and Fleur crowded around Hermione to hug her. "Ah, just get back to your meeting. We've got Ginny's wedding to plan." Hermione sighed as she was resigned to her fate: she was going to be a mom before she was a wife.

The rest of the day went by rather smoothly. They had decided on a color scheme for the wedding: rich oranges and reds and golds, which would clash with Ginny's hair but were evident as their House colors. There would be an engagement party the first weekend after the beginning of the Ginny's last term at Hogwart's. The term began in less than two weeks, so the engagement party would take place in about three weeks. A celebratory dinner would be held in Ron and Hermione's honor two nights before Ginny would leave for Hogwart's.

The next week and a half went by rather quickly. Ron and Hermione spent their time looking at things for children when they were not at their office with Harry in the Aurors' department or at Twelve Grimmauld Place discussing things with various members of the order. Lupin and Tonks were the only ones outside the Weasley family who were apprised of Hermione's condition. Draco and Lavender would find out the night of the dinner. They, along with Lupin and Tonks, were the only non-kin invited to join in the celebration of the end of that generation of Weasleys at Hogwart's.

The night of the dinner, Hermione was fretting over what to wear. Yes, they were celebrating Ginny's last term at Hogwart's, but the dinner was really in Ron and especially Hermione's honor: they were going to be parents. They had received a letter via Pigwidgeon earlier that day from Mrs. Weasley, telling them to dress up a little. Pig had stayed at the Burrow until Ron and Hermione could get settled in, and would be coming back with them that night to stay.

Ron had just thrown on a clean pair of trousers and a shirt Hermione had picked out for him. He was sitting on the bed, watching Hermione rustle through the closet, and he suddenly found the sight of her so flustered utterly hilarious. He started laughing but stopped when she sent him a cold look.

"You have it easy! I picked out your clothes, I have to carry the kid for nine odd months, I go through labor – you get the most enjoyable part! I get all the work," Hermione sank down to the floor of their closet amid a heap of clothing. Ron walked over to her and lifted her to her feet.

"I can't fix everything, 'Mione. I wish I could take all of that off your shoulders, or at least help with that burden. But I can pick out what _I_ want you to wear," Ron smiled as he reached behind Hermione to pull a bag out of the back of their closet. Hermione recognized it as one of Fred and George's inventions: the expandable bag they had all first seen that night last year.

Ron reached deep into the bag and pulled out a rather large box. Hermione gasped as Ron dumped it unceremoniously in her lap. She looked at him, and he smiled while Hermione reached down and began to carefully unwrap it.

"How did you manage this, Ron?" Hermione asked quietly, thinking of their finances. She almost did not want to unwrap the unexpected gift, for fear of wanting to keep it.

"'Mione, would you please just tear that open? I'll explain everything later, but let it suffice to say that we've had some interesting patrons, okay?" Ron said with a pained expression, anxious to see Hermione's reaction.

Hermione ripped the wrapping off the box, barely recognizing the name printed on the box: 'Harrod's'. "Oh, Merlin, Ron! How did you manage this?" Her eyes searched Ron's for answers to the questions she did not feel she could ask. Ron urged her on, wanting her to quickly open the box and see her gift.

Hermione undid the tape at the sides of the box and slipped the cover off. "Oh, Ron…" She sighed as she picked up the slightly shimmering garment from its box. Hermione stood and held it up to her form, turning to the mirror to see how it looked. It was a dressy, halter-necked blue sundress that hit her right above the knee. Hermione shrieked in joy and launched herself onto Ron, toppling him over onto the floor. She kissed him soundly before standing and shucking her nightclothes (Ron's shirt) and donning the dress over her pale blue underwear. The dress had a built in bra that barely contained her breasts, but Hermione did not care; Ron had gifted her with it, and seeing it on, she felt utterly beautiful.

"Oh, Hermione, it looks absolutely beautiful on you," Ron breathed as he saw it shimmer over her body, draping around her full hips and bust, and he gasped as she twirled for him, letting the skirt swirl and finally rest high on her thighs.

"What do you think? How do I look? Do you like it?" Hermione said, smiling as her eyes twinkled at Ron.

"I love it… Now can I see it on the floor?"

Hermione and Ron were almost late for the dinner. As it was, Ron's previously crisp shirt and trousers were creased in some rather obvious places. Hermione's dress was saved simply by the fact that it could be lifted straight over her head. She had wriggled back into it with Ron's help; she needed him to tie the back to support her breasts enough. When they were finally presentable, Hermione gave Ron a quick squeeze before they side-along Apparated to the Burrow.

The night went off without a hitch. Molly, Fleur, and Ginny had outdone themselves with the main meal. Tonks and Lupin had prepared salads and various rolls for before the main meal. Lavender and Draco had conjured up a soup cauldron that was charmed not to empty until the next course was served. Hermione and Ron had been in charge of making the desserts.

Along with Harry, Hermione and Ron had made multiple sweets to tempt their friends' and family's palates: fruit pies, cookies, cakes, and an old favorite, a torte that Hermione had happened upon in a cookbook back sometime when she had not been talking to one or the other of the boys. The Weasley dining room and table had been charmed to allow for all of the people they would have to accommodate. It was a rather ragtag table, arranged somewhat like this: Molly and Arthur at the head of the table, Bill and Fleur to their right and Ron and Hermione to their left; next to Hermione was Ginny with Harry; next to Fleur sat Remus Lupin with Nymphadora Tonks, and next to Nymphadora sat Charlie Weasley. Lavender Brown sat with Draco Malfoy next to Harry, while Fred and George had set Angelina between them and were happily dividing her attention between them. It was a rather large table.

The dinner went off without a hitch. The twins had stuck to rather mundane, almost muggle slight of hand. Angelina had mastered a few tricks of her own, and the three were busy entertaining the entire table. Ginny and Lavender were busy trying to figure out which cup held there pieces of jewelry when Mrs. Weasley shot Ron a look. With a glance at Hermione, Ron reached for his glass and a fork to make their announcement. Hermione smiled at Ron, but a strange look quickly overtook her features.

Hermione stood and ran to the nearest bathroom. All the conversation and noise stopped as Ron, Ginny, Harry, and Mrs. Weasley raced after her. Everyone left at the table remained silent as they looked at one another, trying to figure out what had happened. Fleur stood with a sad look on her face as she began to clear plates. Tonks, Lavender, and Angelina rose to help her as the men left at the table began to clean the huge room up and resize it to its usual dimensions.

When Ron reached the bathroom door, he heard heart-wrenching sobs coming from his girlfriend's body. He tried the door and found it locked. Pointing his wand at the lock, he opened his mouth to charm it open, but Fleur showed up and pushed him aside.

"No, Ron, do not do zat to 'Ermione. She needs ze comfort of a woman right now, a woman who 'as 'ad ze same experience," Fleur sighed as she stood against the door. "'Ermione? Eet ees me, Fleur. May I come in? I zink I may have some zings to zay zat vould be 'elpful for you to 'ear."

Ron looked from Fleur to his mother, who just nodded and sank donw to the ground to wait for whatever would happen. Ginny leaned into Harry, then put her arms around her favorite brother and brought him to sit with their mother. The lock clicked and they could her Hermione's voice.

"Fleur? Is that you?"

"Yes. I am comink in, now, okay? Ve need to talk," Fleur took a deep breath as she strode into the small room. Ron made to follow, but Fleur charmed the door locked after herself, and they could feel the privacy spell she wove around herself and Hermione.

Mrs. Weasley chuckled through her tears, "Bill came up with that charm for Fleur when they became engaged and moved back in here. He told her it would make everyone's nights infinitely more bearable." She sobered up as she took in the red rims of her youngest sons' eyes. "Sorry, Ron. You need to know that you'll get through this."

Ron just leaned into his little sister and keened a low, guttural sound. Harry threw his arms around his best friend and his fiancée. After what seemed like an eternity, Fleur took the charms down and opened the door. Her eyes were red-rimmed and still full of tears as she walked out.

"Ron, eet ees you 'Ermione needs right now. You need to talk to 'er, and she needs to talk to you," Fleur said as she walked away from the small group and down the hall towards the living room. "I veel find Bill, and ve veel take care of ze remaining guests."

Ron looked at his mother and disentangled himself from his sister and his best friend. He rose, and before he entered the small room, he gave Fleur a tight hug. She whispered something to Ron, and he nodded. As Fleur walked down the hall, Ron turned and entered the bathroom.

_**I'm waiting for the night drifting away on the waves of my dreams to another day  
I'm standing on a hill and beyond the clouds the wind's blowing still and catching my doubts**_

"Hermione? Would you please talk to me?" Ron said quietly, maneuvering his body down onto the cold floor next to Hermione. Her skirt was rucked up above her hips, and Ron could see crimson stains on the rug Hermione was sitting on. He had already guessed what had happened, but he needed to hear it from her before he said anything.

"Ron…I'm so sorry, I let everyone think…But I'm not…At least, not anymore," Hermione sobbed into Ron's shoulder as she pressed against him and let her hurt go. She had spoken to Fleur, and she told Ron what had happened.

She had had morning sickness for a while, perhaps two weeks after her last period. She had not thought about it until she had realized that she was three days late into her next one. Everything was going fine, she was dealing quite well with the sickness, but three days before the dinner, it had changed. She cramped badly whenever she vomited, and her favorite foods did not taste right. She laughed brokenly when she admitted that she had not even had a chance to see if the pee turned blue or pink. Ron figured it was a muggle thing, and when Hermione explained it to him, he looked thoroughly confused. Of course, she had not gone to a healer; she had not had time, she was still in, some way, waiting to see if she had just been off on counting her cycle.

**_I'm watching all the flowers dyeing away  
In heated breath of life at the dawning day_**

_**I'm waking up in spring and kissing your face**_

**_The sweet moving thing I feel your embrace_**

The morning of the dinner, Hermione had not been sick at all. She had thought that she was just past that phase of her pregnancy. But just as Ron had stood to make their announcement, Hermione had felt something terribly wrong: cramping, nausea, and a suspicious, slimy wetness starting between her legs. When she had gotten to the bathroom, she had lifted her skirt and ripped off her underwear to realize her nightmare: she had begun bleeding. Then the vomiting had started. Everything else was a blur to her, up until the time when Fleur had spoken with her and then Ron had come in to see her.

"I guess I just jumped the gun, Ron. I'm sorry…" Hermione sighed as a last tear rolled down her cheek.

Ron just held her tight and squeezed her as he struggled to stem his own flow of tears. "Tomorrow at the latest, we're going down to St. Mungo's to get you checked out. I need to know that you are going to be okay."

Hermione started to shake her head 'no', but Ron held her firm. "Ron, I want to go to a muggle doctor."

"I'll take you to a muggle doctor _after_ we go to St. Mungo's, if you still feel the need for a second opinion. Mum's got some things you can wear tonight, and you can borrow street-clothes from Ginny for tomorrow. Tonight, you and I are staying here, and you are going to rest. Let me get the things from Mum, and I'll help you change."

Ron unwrapped his arms from around Hermione and leaned out the door, where his mother was waiting with a change of clothes and some feminine things for Hermione. Ron ducked back into the bathroom to help Hermione out of her dress.

"I guess I'll get to wear that a lot more, now," Hermione said in a morbid tone.

Ron grabbed Hermione's face between his hands. "Stop talking like that! Just stop! We will figure everything out tomorrow, okay? Now get in the tub, let's get you cleaned off, and Mum and Dad said we can stay in our usual room. Now move, Miss Granger."

Hermione let Ron lift her in the tub and start a stream of warm water from the magical faucet that never ran out. Ron helped Hermione wipe the makeup from her face, then leaned her back so he could wash her hair for her.

"D'you know how beautiful I think you are? Your eyes, your body, mind, soul… and especially your hair," Ron smiled down at Hermione, whose eyes were closed as Ron massaged her shoulders and scalp.

"I hate my hair! It's bushy and unruly and—" Hermione opened her eyes to glare at Ron.

"It's perfect. Nothing could be more like or unlike you; it suits you perfectly. So don't bad-mouth it. Now lean back and relax," Ron pulled Hermione back towards his end of the tub. He finished with her hair and helped her wash the rest of her exertion from her body.

When they had finished in the tub, Ron helped Hermione stand and put on the garments Mrs. Weasley had lent her. When she had finished, Ron gathered her up in his arms and moved to carry her to their room. As they left the bathroom, it was apparent that the others had gone to seek their beds. Ron carried Hermione to their room, and they were both surprised by the sight that greeted them.

Someone had charmed their bed so it was almost impossibly large. On one side, Harry and Ginny gave them weak smiles, while they pulled back the coverlet. Ron set Hermione down in the bed and then looked at his best friend and sister.

"Why are you in our bed?" Ron asked, giving all three a disgusted look. "Sorry, but I am not quite –"

Ginny shot Ron a dirty look before she spoke. "Both you and Hermione need comforting. This is completely not gross, so hop in and make yourselves comfortable. We just want to be here to cuddle or hold you guys through what we all figure will be a long night." Ginny reached out and hugged her brother before settling her arms around Hermione and snuggling into her back.

Harry looked at his fiancée and best girlfriend. Then he turned to Ron and said with a smile, "We're beat, mate. You guys need to talk and get some sleep. Besides, we're all used to bunking with one or more bedmates – remember all the summers we spent here together before your parents expanded again? And don't forget the Quidditch World Cup and all those times when we were first and second years when we all camped out on Seamus's bed for a night of Exploding Snap. Stop being such a prude. Besides, we're all dressed to a modicum of decency." Harry leaned back and threw his arm around Ginny to rest his hand on Hermione's cheek. "Come on, tell your priggish boy-toy to join us."

Even as Hermione felt tears of gratefulness filling her eyes, she smiled as she turned to regard Ron. She laughed as she saw a blush creep up his cheeks. "Ron, please, I need all of my best friends here with me. Besides, if you don't join us, I may refuse to go to St. Mungo's tomorrow, and you wouldn't want that, now would you?" Hermione said sweetly, her eyes hardening at the prospect of going to see a magical healer.

Ron gave up, kicking his shoes off and removing his dress shirt, so as not to wrinkle it in his sleep. As he moved to unbutton it, Ginny made a face. "Aw, stop it, ya git! I've got me undershirt on under the dress one!" Ron blushed even redder, and his embarrassment caused his accent to shine through more than usual. Ginny and Harry laughed, and Hermione made a valiant effort not to, ending up just smiling and quivering in the effort.

Ron got into the bed and pulled the covers up over all of them, muttering under his breath. Hermione glared at him, and he had to say something. "What? I don't wanna freeze… You three better not hog the covers. And I'm sorry I balked earlier. It just makes me feel like a kid, reminds me of all the times Harry and I would end up with our heads in 'Mione's lap after a bad test or somthin'," Ron shrugged as he stretched out to face Hermione and Ginny.

Ron kissed Ginny's cheek, clamped Harry on the shoulder, threw an arm around Hermione, and used his wand to douse the light.

**_A neverending dream a dream of you _**

**_I believe I received a sign of you _**

**_Tonight I want to hide my _**

**_Feelings too as you do and I want to be with you_**

Dawn came early the next morning. Hermione woke first, and was confused as she looked around. She was in the bed she shared with Ron at the Burrow, but Ginny was cuddled into her back, and Harry behind her, and Ron was half-off the bed, muttering in his sleep about a quidditch-playing spider or something like that. Then, all the events of the night before came flooding back to her. Kissing Ginny and Harry each on their brows, Hermione levered herself up and pulled out her wand.

"Leviosa," she whispered, snagging Ron with her spell, levitating him out of the bed and room. Stepping into the hall, Hermione set Ron down and shook him awake. His eyes opened and he smiled drowsily.

"'Mione, I dreamed I was flying, but without my broom," He smiled as his eyes widened until he realized where he was and that Hermione was holding her wand aloft. "Oh, you levitated me out of bed, din't you?"

Hermione nodded, then took his hands to help him stand. "If we're going to go to St. Mungo's we need to leave soon. I think your mum is awake, because I smell something highly breakfast-like wafting up from the kitchen. Throw your shirt on and let's get going. And no, I won't change. This will do just fine, even if it is slept-in."

Ron took Hermione's hands and they walked down the stairs to the now-normal sized kitchen. Mrs. Weasley was at the table, and it looked like she had not slept.

"Ah, there you are. I couldn't sleep, so I made a good breakfast for you. I have more clothes for Hermione – no arguing, dear – and I will be accompanying you two. Don't try to argue about that, either, Hermione. Now eat up and then get changed. We've a long day," Mrs. Weasley levered herself up, and as she trudged up the stairs to change, Hermione realized that even Molly Weasley would someday age, grow old, and… Hermione shook her head to banish the thought from her head.

**_A neverending dream a dream of you _**

**_I believe I received a sign of you _**

**_Tonight I want to hide my _**

**_Feelings too as you do and I want to be with you_**

At St. Mungo's Hermione was seen right away. A nurse and then healer checked her over with a mixture of magical and muggle-type ways. Finally, the healer asked her if she would consent to a few blood tests. Hermione nodded, and the nurse bustled back in to perform them.

Fifteen minutes later, the healer came back with a scroll in front of his eyes. Looking up from the chart, he spoke, his eyes boring into Hermione's. "Mrs. Weasley," he began, but Hermione cut him off.

"Granger. My last name is Granger," Hermione said in a small voice.

"Ah, right. You were not actually pregnant, per se. You were kind of pregnant; that means that the egg was partially fertilized or was fertilized and had not taken hold in your womb. You have not miscarried; on the contrary, you were not truly pregnant. You have nothing to worry about. However, when you feel that you would like to become pregnant, I suggest that you come see one of the healers here, to discuss how to take care of yourself and your fetus," the healer smiled as Hermione and Ron each let out an audible sigh of relief. Ron squeezed Hermione as the healer said his goodbyes and left to check on other patients.

Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat. "I'm glad that it wasn't more serious. Next time, talk to me first, and we'll get you all checked out before you can get your hopes too high. I'll head back to the Burrow now. You two come by tomorrow to help Ginny get back to the school, alright?" She stood to leave, but stopped when Ron cleared his throat.

"Mum, why did Fleur speak to 'Mione last night, instead of you?"

"Oh, my darling boy, I think you know why."

"I need to know for sure. How many times has she—" Ron started, but was cut off by Hermione.

"She said I could tell you, Ron. She has miscarried once, and had an experience not unlike this one at least once, that she is absolutely sure of. She was the one who reassured me that a healer would be better in this case," Hermione said, rubbing her hands up and down her arms, trying to warm herself. Ron helped her back into her cloak as the three turned to leave.

Ron, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley thanked the healer and his nurse before they left. Mrs. Weasley Apparated with a POP! While Ron and Hermione walked a ways, speaking of when they would finally marry and then have children. They laughed and playfully argued about names and where they would live with their hopefully large family.

"I think that we should get a house with Harry and Ginny. It'd be just mad to be able to hang out when we weren't working. Hell, we could even teach you how to play quidditch, and we could go two on two," Ron smiled as he took in Hermione's response.

"That would be nice, to begin with. But there won't be much hanging out until we take care of all of our other, ahem, responsibilities," Hermione said with a sigh.

"We'll take what time we can, and what we can't, we'll make," Ron said as his lips descended on hers, "Doesn't mean we can't practice," with that, Ron embraced her tightly and side-alonged Hermione back to their flat.

**AN: Sorry to get so heavy (how many times did I use the word 'sigh', or some variant thereof? Too many!) Sorry this chapter is so long… but some of you like that, I know (I know I do!).**

**I really love writing this story. I love Ron and Hermione and Harry and Ginny, but I think that Fleur and Bill and Draco and Lavender have grown on me (with Lavender, much like a fungus, to tell the truth). I am working on a Draco story, probably with a Christmas theme (it will probably end up being part of a gift for my best friend, a HUGE Draco fan).**

**By the way, you can be 'kind of' pregnant. You can look it up, but here's the quick and dirty: before an egg takes hold, the body will sometimes send off strange hormones that suppress the menstrual cycle, or that make a woman exhibit typical symptoms (breast tenderness, morning sickness, and the like). Even after the egg is in the womb, depending on where a woman is in her cycle, it can be flushed out – ergo, no term pregnancy, but not a miscarriage, either.**

**I'm not a doctor, so you don't have to believe me. If you are curious, go to webMD or an OB/GYN. And don't mention me ;)!**

**Just got an mp3 player (Sony Bean! Yay!), so I will be able to have better access to downloadable music, so hopefully I'll be able to come up with more song chapters. I still want your input, though. You guys who read my stories and review make me so happy (even when you point out mistakes and the like), that writing is just a joy.**

**Sorry to sound like a mom. It's just my personality.**

**In other news, I will do a Draco chapter if I get enough of a response in his favor. Does anyone have an opinion about him and Lavender? Let me know. **

**May I recommend also another story I am working on, with my best friend Andi, who I am partnered with in the duo separatesisters? The name of the story is "Two of A Kind", and it is a Draco Malfoy story in which he is paired with an original character. Please read and let us know under that account.**

**As always, much love to all of you, my cherished readers,**

**ladykyo**


	6. Please Forgive Me

Every Time We Touch 

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

People, please read and review. It would be nice if y'all would send me ideas about what songs to use as well… Writing songfics is difficult, and the last chapter was really a stretch for me. I hope that you all like my stuff… Check out the actual songs behind these chapters – We're addicted to Cascada!

Ch6 – **Please Forgive Me**

**_Please Forgive Me_**, Bryan Adams

_**Still feels like our first night together **_

_**Feels like the first kiss **_

_**It's gettin' better baby **_

_**No one can better this **_

_**Still holdin' on, you're still the one **_

Ron bolted awake late into the night. His breath came in short gasps, and he frantically searched for Hermione. He heard sounds coming from across the flat and he thought his heart would stop. He leapt out of bed and raced across the small apartment to the kitchen, where the sounds were coming from. He rounded the corner and stopped.

Hermione was sitting on the floor with the refrigerator doors wide open. She had a carton of ice cream open in front of her, and the remnants of many snack-type things and leftovers strewn around her. Ron had to stifle a laugh at the picture. Hermione looked up at him, and saw the look on his face. Her own face screwed up in a grimace, and she spoke.

"Don't you laugh at me, Ronald Bilius Weasley! I've seen you when you're tired, or depressed or just plain, old hungry. What's that look for, huh?" Hermione said as Ron lost is. He just could not hold it in anymore, and he gave a great belly-laugh. Hermione gave up and she started to laugh right along with him. Ron grabbed a spoon out of the drawer and sat down next to her, sticking his spoon into her ice cream and putting his arm around her.

"You're just so cute, 'Mione. Sitting here with ice cream, eating to your heart's content, not a care to your mind," Ron laughed through his mouthful of ice cream. Hermione scowled at him and dug deeper into the carton. Hermione tried to stay annoyed with Ron, but she could not stay angry forever. She held the carton out to Ron and stood, dragging her nightshirt off. Ron looked up from his ice cream and his eyes widened.

"'Mione, aren't you—" he began, but Hermione kneeled back down before him and smiled seductively.

"Do you really care? The ice cream's gone," she purred as she removed the empty carton from Ron's shaking hand, "but there's sundae syrup to be had… and we wouldn't want it to go bad, now would we?"

Ron reached out and cupped Hermione's jaw in his hands. Leaning in close, he moved to kiss her, but she pulled back, nipping his lower lip as she did so. Ron's eyes darkened in his arousal, and he growled as he reached for her again. Again she pulled back, but Ron was waiting for it. He leaned over her and pushed her back onto the floor. He nudged his knee between her legs and tried to push them apart, but Hermione stopped him. Instead, she dragged his mouth to her breasts. He kissed his way to her taught nipple, licking and sucking till he arrived.

"'Mione. I know what you want. Do you want it right now? Like this?" Ron whispered, nipping the sensitive flesh. Hermione moaned and leaned back, arching into his mouth. He moved his hand to her other breast, massaging and kneading.

Hermione held his head to her chest, stretching out and bringing him with her.

_**First time our eyes met - same feelin' I get **_

_**Only feels much stronger - wanna love ya longer **_

_**You still turn the fire on... **_

_**So if you're feelin' lonely don't - you're the only one I ever want **_

_**I only wanna make it good - so if I love ya a little more than I should **_

Hermione finally pushed Ron off of her and kneeled to face him. She reached for him and drew him close to her, kissing him fiercely. She pushed his robe off his shoulders. Hermione reached for his groin, encircling it with her war fist.

"It's only fair. I'll show you mine if you show me yours," she said as she leaned down to take him in her mouth.

It was Ron's turn to groan as she began a slow, pistoning action with hr mouth. She gripped his base and squeezed until he growled. He pushed her off and looked into her eyes. He was painfully hard, and his body pleaded with her.

"It's up to you, my love. Can you deal with a bit of a mess to clean up after?" Hermione giggled.

"I don't see why not? Always have before," Ron said as he gave a throaty laugh and pushed her down to enter her. She screamed with pleasure as he made is way into her. Their bodies grasped at one another, and as their passion mounted, all that could be heard was their sighs and moans.

"Ron!"

"Hermione!"

_**Please forgive me - I know not what I do **_

_**Please forgive me - I can't stop lovin' you **_

_**Don't deny me - this pain I'm going through **_

_**Please forgive me - if I need ya like I do **_

_**Please believe me - every word I say is true **_

**_Please forgive me - I can't stop lovin' you_**

When Ron and Hermione finally woke up, they were still entangled. Ron was stroking Hermione's hair as she woke. He moved slightly, and Hermione could feel a slight ache as he moved his lower body against hers. She groaned and smiled at him before she opened her eyes.

Ron smiled as she looked at him and giggled. Ron shifted and pulled out. Hermione glared playfully at him as she reached for their robes. Both looked at the mess they had made, with the sundae syrup and the other snacks and the rather conspicuous bodily fluids.

"You said you wouldn't mind cleaning up. I'm heading to the bath. I'll draw one for you when you're ready," Hermione said airily as she left Ron in the middle of the mess.

Ron just stared at Hermione's back before turning to survey the mess he had to clean up.

_**Still feels like our best times are together **_

_**Feels like the first touch - still gettin' closer baby **_

_**Can't get close enough **_

_**Still holdin' on - still number one **_

When Ron finished cleaning up their mess, he headed to the bathroom where he heard Hermione's voice singing an old Gaelic tune. He knocked on the door and waited for her to open the door. When she did, she took his breath away.

Her hair was just barely damp, and her face was flushed from the steam. Her blue robe clung to her curves and it was just barley parted to show off her sheer blue bra.

Hermione smiled as she spoke, "I drew your bath for you. Better get in while it's still warm. I'll be waiting for you. We need to get over to the office and check on our assignments. Harry will be waiting for us."

"But what if I can't reach my back? Why don't you stay and help?" Ron gave her his best puppy-dog eyes, but Hermione just laughed and shut the door behind herself on her way out. Ron stared at the emptiness she left behind before climbing into the bath himself.

_**I remember the smell of your skin - I remember everything **_

_**I remember all your moves - I remember you yeah **_

_**I remember the nights - ya know I still do **_

_**So if you're feelin' lonely don't - you're the only one I ever want **_

_**I only wanna make it good - so if I love ya a little more than I should **_

Ron finished his bath and crept into the bedroom he and Hermione shared. He saw her at her jewelry box, as she was trying to pick out her usual combination of necklace and earrings. She picked out a pair of silver earring that he had made for her when they had first gotten together. He had conjured their initials into the small silver earrings and had cast a charm on them that would keep them from ever tarnishing. He saw that she had picked out a necklace that her parents had given her, a tri-quatra pendant that they had found in a trunk that had belonged to one of their ancestors, the last witch born into that family before Hermione.

He thought that she would turn around and harass him for taking too long in the bath, but she kept her attention on her jewelry box. Her hands lingered over the small collection of rings, and Ron recognized some of them as gifts from her parents and family. He saw the huge diamond Harry had given her, back when he came into his full inheritance; it had been Lily Potter's ring, passed down through her family, and Harry had said that he knew Hermione would like it, and had gifted it to her when she had turned seventeen and had become a true witch. Ron saw also the small ruby Viktor Krum had given her on her fifteenth birthday, "Just as friends," she had said. Ron felt a blush creep up his face as he recognized the last ring her fingers touched, a cheap rhinestone he had gotten for her in apology for the troll incident back when they were first years. Ron watched closely, sure she was going to choose Harry or Viktor's gift.

Hermione sighed and pulled the rhinestone out of the box and onto her finger. She held it out to examine it, then she tried it on her ring finger. She hung her head and sighed again, pulling it off and placing it on her right hand. Ron decided to make his presence known.

He cleared his throat, and Hermione jumped up and slammed her jewelry box closed. "Oh, Ron! You startled me. You shouldn't sneak up on me like that. What if I'd had my wand out? I could have hurt you! Now, get dressed. We have to go to the train station to see Ginny off before we go to work."

Ron crossed the small room to the closet, pulling out denims and a clean shirt. He pulled his pants on and shrugged into his shirt. He was quiet as he did so, and Hermione felt his unease. "Hermione, why don't you just wear a real ring, hm? You don't have to keep on wearing the piece of junk I gave you. We weren't even together when I gave it to you, and I know you prefer the ones from Harry and Viktor. Don't wear it on my account."

"Ron, don't talk to me like that. I wear this ring because I like it, not to humor you. Besides that, you gave it to me, and that makes me love it. Please, let's just go," Hermione sounded exhausted, and Ron felt bad for having said what he did. He walked over to her and put his arms around his waist. Hermione leaned back into him and sighed shakily. "What would we have done if I had been pregnant?"

"We would have figured it out together. We've got a place to live, and we'd manage to pull through. If you wanted, we would have married so that we wouldn't have to go through the paperwork later," Ron tried to comfort her, but it was not working.

"So Ginny was right. That's the only way you'd marry me!" Hermione shouted, turning on Ron and slapping him across his face. "We're going to be late. I don't want to talk about this now. Put a smile on your face and get moving."

_**Please forgive me - I know not what I do **_

_**Please forgive me - I can't stop lovin' you **_

_**Don't deny me this pain I'm going through **_

_**Please forgive me - if I need ya like I do **_

_**Oh believe me - every word I say is true **_

_**Please forgive me - I can't stop lovin' you **_

Ron and Hermione flew to the train station on Ron's broom. Hermione held on tightly, and as they were landing, she spoke up.

"Maybe I should get my own broom."

"Why? You don't like to fly without me anyways, so why bother? You always either Apparate or fly with me," Ron said as they touched ground. He got off his broom and tapped it with his wand to shrink it and make it easy to carry.

"That way, when you're gone, I'll be able to get around on my own," Hermione said quietly.

"When I'm gone where, exactly? What are you trying to get at? I'm not going anywhere without you!" Ron raised his voice in his anger.

"Well, you're certainly not going to be staying with me, now are you? Not now that I'm not carrying your child," Hermione said viciously. Ron tried to take her hand in his. She ripped it away.

Ron sighed in disgust. They headed into the train station in silence. By the time they reached the entrance to the Hogwart's Express, they were back to arguing. Both were at full voice by the time they joined the Weasley clan, including Fleur. Ginny's departure was a family affair, save for Hermione and Harry, who were practically family anyway.

"You only thought about staying with me because you thought I was pregnant!" Hermione cried.

"You made me believe you were pregnant to get me to marry you!" Ron shouted back. Hermione's face crumpled in tears, and the twins put their arms around her before placing her in Mrs. Weasley's open arms.

Fred and George advanced on Ron, but Harry got to him first. Harry clocked Ron with a right hook. Fred got him from the left, and George kicked him for good measure.

Ginny was the first to speak. "You're a bloody git. Leave Hermione alone. I'm leaving," she announced. She hugged her other brothers and sister-in-law, then her parents and Hermione. She glared at Ron, affixed her Head Girl badge, and kissed Harry before climbing onto the train.

Mrs. Weasley took Hermione and Fleur aside. Charlie and Bill joined the twins and Harry over by Ron.

"What were you thinking, Ron? You can't treat your best girl like that," Charlie said as he glared at his younger brother.

"If I had ever treated Fleur like that, she'd never have married me. You do want to marry Hermione, right?" Bill asked.

"Of course he wants to marry her," Harry said as he cut his eyes to Ron's, one of which was rapidly swelling after his run-in with the twins. "Don't you, Ron?"

"That's not the point, now is it?" Ron said angrily. "She just can't wait for things to happen on their own. She tried to get me to propose by acting like she was pregnant."

"She didn't 'pretend' to be anything of the sort!" Fred yelled at Ron. "You heard about Fleur, and you were with Hermione when she went to the healer! How, after all these years you two have spent together, could you accuse her of something like that?"

"Yeah, even we can see that you're in the wrong," George chimed in. "You have some nerve saying something like that to Hermione. She's like a little sister to us. You're making her into some sort of bint, and you know she would never do anything like that."

"I wasn't trying to hurt her. I was just angry. She's always right, no matter what. She wants to get married, and so do I, but I don't think I can right now. Now she wants to get a broom of her own, so she can 'get around' when I'm 'gone'! I'm not leaving her, ever! I just want to be with her!" Ron shouted. His brothers and Harry all smiled.

"That's what we thought," Harry said smugly, and Ron was left alone to see the train move away and become smaller and smaller.

_**One thing I'm sure of - is the way we make love **_

_**And one thing I depend on - is for us to stay strong **_

_**With every word and every breath I'm prayin' **_

**_That's why I'm sayin'_**

Hermione had been whisked off to the Burrow before she could try to make up with Ron. Mrs. Weasley and Fleur were mightily pissed off, and they took it upon themselves to comfort Hermione.

"Now, my dear, Ronald can be a little nasty when he is out of sorts," Mrs. Weasley explained to Hermione.

"I know, Mum. But he's right. I think on some level, I thought that he'd have to stay if I were pregnant," Hermione admitted.

Fleur stood up from the chair she had pulled to the table where the three women were sitting. "Zat ees no reason for Ron to act zat way to you! You are zee love of hees life, and he must know zat! Eet does not matter eef you are pregnant or not, 'e must love you and marry you on hees own. And I know zat 'e will, if you geef heem zee time."

"I know, Fleur. I just want to be with him all the time. I want to be the one they call when he has to be taken home after a long day. I want to marry him, and have kids with him. I just feel like it's never going to happen sometimes, left to his own devices. But I'm not going to let that ruin what he and I already have. No matter what, I love Ron, and no matter what he says or does, I'm not going to force him to do something he doesn't want to do. I love Ron, and I'm not going to leave him. Ever!"

"D'you really mean that?" Ron had appeared in the doorway. Hermione gasped as she saw him. He stepped towards her and kneeled on both of his knees.

"Ron, you're not proposing now, are you?" Hermione asked, confused.

"No, I'm not. I'm not worthy to do that right now, not after this morning. I just want your forgiveness. If you want to get a broom, or even an automobile, we'll make that happen. If you want your own place, we can do that, too. But don't leave me, don't hate me, just say you love me and you'll never leave me, ever. 'Cause I couldn't live without you. And I promise, we will marry someday," Ron said, gazing into Hermione's eyes, blue meeting brown.

_**Please forgive me - I know not what I do **_

_**Please forgive me - I can't stop lovin' you **_

_**Don't deny me this pain I'm going through **_

_**Please forgive me - if I need ya like I do **_

_**Babe believe me - every word I say is true **_

_**Please forgive me - if I can't stop lovin' you **_

_**Never leave me - I don't know what I'd do **_

_**Please forgive me - I can't stop lovin' you **_

_**Can't stop lovin' you**_

"Of course, my Ronald! I could never leave you, certainly not for something so trivial. I don't want you to think that I want to leave, or that I want you to leave. I didn't mean to trick you, if you really think that I did. Please forgive me, I didn't mean any of the hateful things I said earlier!" Hermione cried as she slipped out of her chair and Mrs. Weasley's arms to embrace Ron. Both were crying by the time she got there.

Mrs. Weasley stood and she and Fleur left the room to give Ron and Hermione some much-needed time alone. Mrs. Weasley had some new additions to take care of; the pair of house-elves Ron, Harry and Hermione had gifted her with when they had started at the Department of Aurors. The two house-elves were always arguing with one another and hitting themselves, but Mrs. Weasley had hopes that they would be friends if not more as time went on.

Fleur left the room with tears in her eyes. She and Bill were still trying for children of their own, but all the healers said that they could not help. If Fleur did not get pregnant and carry the baby to term soon, the healers were worried that she would never conceive. If her next pregnancy went wrong, she would not be allowed to try again, for her own health.

Ron looked into Hermione's eyes and stood to kiss her. She sighed into his kiss, and let him pull her to her feet. He wrapped his arms around her and walked her out of the house. Hermione was speaking quietly to him, and was about to accuse him of not paying attention when he nudged her.

"'Mione, I was thinking about what you said earlier, and if it is what you really want," he trailed off as he pointed to a package lying on the ground next to his broom. Hermione shot him a quick look before picking up the oddly-shaped parcel.

"Ron, what is this?" Hermione asked as she began unwrapping the package. She started at the wider end, unwrapping carefully. Ron shot her a dirty look, and she smiled and ripped the paper off. "Oh, Ron," she said softly.

"It's from the same company as mine, not the same model. Yours is the Nexus 2800. Safer than the average, not as fast, and it has a charm to help peole who fall off easily or do not like to fly alone or at all," Ron explained. Hermione hugged him. "Well, we're both Aurors, and I think that it is a good idea for you to have your own broom, especially for work. You won't always have the time to concentrate on Apparating."

"Thank you, Ron. I love you so much, and I want you to know that I didn't mean that you would just leave me earlier. I wanted my own broom to be able to be somewhat independent, for when you were at work and I wasn't. Like when we're married and I'm not at work 'cause I have to go to the healers for a check-up," Hermione smiled.

"Why would you have to –Oh. When we're havin' babies and whatnot. Gotcha," Ron smiled sheepishly. "Forgive me?"

"Are you gonna forgive me?"

"I already did. Waitin' on you, as always."

"You're a git and a rotter, d'you know that?"

"Yeah, but you love me for it."

**AN: News for all! Next chapter will probably be up by the end of the week. I have some ideas for the next few chapters, but I need _your_ input when it comes to what songs to use. The more reviews and messages I get, the faster these chapters will appear.**

**By popular demand, there will be a Draco chapter. I will give fair warning, but I may not be able to make it a 'take it or leave it chapter'. Translation: I'm sorry if you don't like Draco or Lavender, but you'll have to read it to continue on with the story and comprehend. If you really can't stand him or her, message me and I will send you a message with the pertinent stuff.**

**However, I got reading stories that had him in it, not as the main man, but in a supporting role, and he grew on me. Like mushrooms after a spring rain. Give him a chance.**

**Read, review, vote (on Quizilla) and message. **

**love and other indoor sports**

**ladykyo **


	7. You Are Always On My MInd

Every Time We Touch 

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

People, please read and review. It would be nice if y'all would send me ideas about what songs to use as well… Writing songfics is difficult, and the last chapter was really a stretch for me. I hope that you all like my stuff… Check out the actual songs behind these chapters – We're addicted to Cascada!

CH 7—Always On My Mind

**_Always on My Mind_, Elvis Presley**

_**Maybe I didn't love you quite as good as I should have,  
Maybe I didn't hold you quite as often as I could have,  
Little things I should have said and done,  
I just never took the time. **_

After all the rows Ron and Hermione had recently, their co-workers at the Department of Aurors were surprised to see them arrived together, albeit on separate brooms. Kingsley Shacklebolt was in the training yard with a bunch of new recruits when Hermione and Ron touched down. Ron, who had played Quidditch and had spent the better part of his life on a broom touched down with quite a bit more grace than did Hermione, who had a white-knuckled grip on her broom until Ron hurried over to help her off the new conveyance.

"I see ya've fin'ly got yer girl on a broom," Shacklebolt cackled, tossing curses over his shoulder at the ragtag group he was 'breaking-in'. A girl with stringy hair managed to rebound the spell at the Auror, and when it hit him in the back, he immediately sprouted a fake third eye. "Ah, good, McGill. Now deflect this!" The poor girl had made the mistake of letting her guard down, and when the curse hit her, her hair fell out. "Get down to the infirmary, McGill. Come to my office later, I want to talk about your progress."

Ron had laughed at the poor girl's predicament, and Hermione nudged him, hard, with a look eerily akin to Mrs. Weasley. Ron looked properly chastised, but as Hermione reached out her hand to shake Shacklebolt's, Ron gave her bottom a pat. Hermione jumped, and both men had a laugh at her expense.

"Bloody hell," Hermione muttered. "Men! Even worse than boys. I'm heading in to get our assignments. You better hope that we get assigned with Harry. If you're assigned with Draco…"

"Right. Later Kingsley. Butterbeer's on you later, right?" Ron smiled wickedly as he followed Hermione. She was stalking off, and Ron had to jog to catch up with her.

Shacklebolt stared after them, then turned back to his class. "Shields up! Attack!" He continued the drills, pushing his youngest co-workers out of his mind.

When Ron and Hermione reached the cramped office, their office-mates were already there. As some of the youngest Aurors in the force, the were made to share the small space. The office held five chairs, two proper desks, and a small table.

"Morning, lovebirds. I trust you've gotten over your little tiff from this morning?" Harry smirked at them. He had been spending more time with Malfoy, and the smirk seemed to be rubbing off on him. Harry and Draco were sitting at the desk they shared. Ron and Hermione shared the other one, and when Lavender deigned to appear, she used the small table. They had all been amazed when Lavender had volunteered to use the table, but she had good reason.

"Hermione won't share a desk with me, and to tell the truth, I wouldn't want to share with her," Lavender had said when they had found out they were all to share the tiny space. "On top of that, she'd never let meet share a desk with Ronald. I would distract Draco, and he'd be much too jealous if I shared one with Harry."

Hermione had fumed at the way Lavender had portrayed her. Harry had looked sick at the prospect of Lavender turning her attentions to him, and Draco had given her the strangest, sappiest look any of them had ever seen. As Hermione thought back to that situation, she considered the idea that Lavender had already known that she'd be leaving for her labor and maternity leave shortly. She tossed that idea and settled for just loathing Lavender as usual.

"Lavender won't be in until later today. She's not feeling well," Draco said, his eyes a little red. "We were up late working on her reports, and this morning she felt positively dreadful."

Ron, Harry, and Hermione shared a look at Draco's announcement. Draco and Lavender seemed to think that simply because they had not said anything official that no-one knew what was going on.

On top of that, Lavender was supposed to be writing her reports herself, and while it was not against the rules to help with reports, Hermione knew that 'Draco helping' meant that Draco was mostly writing the reports and asking Lavender if she thought they were passable as her own. Again, not against the rules, but frowned upon by the senior Aurors.

Hermione propped her new broom next to Harry and Draco's brooms behind the door to their office. "What's on the agenda for us today?"

Harry smiled. "Guess."

Draco groaned. He was still sick of how the trio interacted, but he was learning to deal with it. "Granger, please. Put that muggle-born genius to use."

"Don't talk to 'Mione like that," Ron growled. He still did not get along well with Malfoy, and anything said about Hermione was enough to set Ron off.

"Are we checking on the muggle-protection charms at the edge of the wizarding communities?" Hermione asked, frowning.

"No, of course not. That's not even under our jurisdiction," Malfoy scowled.

"Come on, even Ginny would get this," Harry smiled.

"What're you sayin' 'bout Ginny?" Ron turned to Harry. "It's bad enough you two are s"

"Engaged? Yes. Now, Hermione, guess."

"Hogwart's! We're going to check the perimeter at Hogwart's!" Hermione grinned at her partners. She grabbed the file off of her desk and reached for her broom.

"Nice, Granger. Where'd you get it?" Malfoy was interested in the new broom that he had not even noticed before.

"Ron gave it to me. It's the Nexus 2800, with a special charm for people who don't like to fly or don't fly well. I can use this when I don't feel like Apparating as well," Hermione said proudly. Ron blushed. Harry stared at Hermione, mouth agape.

"How did Weasley manage to buy you a broom?" Draco asked incredulously. "Where did you get the money for a new broom? Come into some money you hadn't mentioned?"

Harry and Ron shared a look. Hermione looked from Draco to Ron, and gave the latter a puzzled look.

Ron cleared his throat and started to speak. "Hermione, when I gave you your dress, the dress from the muggle store you like so much, you remember? Well, the reason we can afford that, and the reason I suggested we look for a house with Harry and Gin is because—Harry, could you help me out here?"

"What Ron is butchering here, Hermione, is the fact that Sirius had written you and Ron into his will, under me. We didn't know until Dumbledore died, as he was the one Sirius had entrusted the will to. We knew about me because of the necessity of the house at Grimmauld Place, but Dumbledore chose to keep the rest to himself, we assume in order to not worry you or Ron. When Dumbledore died, though, his last will and testament, along with Sirius's was read to me," Harry said, trying to help his best mate.

"Dumbledore, along with Sirius, left each of us a sizable sum. We've more than enough to tide us over. We're not the only ones mentioned, but we three are the top ones mentioned. That, on top of our Auror's pay, is more than enough for us. You and I will never need to worry about money," Ron said, his face glowing in his blush.

"You mean that I've been playing the float game with our meager paychecks, cooking almost all of our meals, and scrimping every penny while you and Harry have been sitting on this secret since the summer before our seventh year?" Hermione shrieked, eerily reminiscent of Mrs. Weasley.

"As fun as it is finding out that the Weasel is no longer as poor as we all thought he was, we need to get going. I assume you don't know who our supervisor is when we get there?" Draco asked Hermione, reaching for his own broom and heading out of the small office.

Ron and Harry shared another look. "Tonks."

Hermione was happy that she would get to see one of her best friends, but she had heard that Tonks was one of the toughest senior Aurors. Hermione knew that she and the boys would do fine, but the antagonism between them and Malfoy would be a problem. Add that to the fact that Hermione and Lavender loathed each other on top of Lavender not showing up to work on time, and Hermione dreaded meeting up with Tonks at the school.

"Let's go, then."

_**You were always on my mind,  
You were always on my mind. **_

The four had kicked off from the Aurors' training yards. Lavender still had not shown up, and as a result they had to stop by the flat she and Draco shared. They landed outside the building, which was located on the better side of a small wizarding community. Hermione looked at the rules for the building and sighed in disgust.

"They can't come and ban muggle-borns or half-muggles, but they manage to get around it with a bunch of crap!" Hermione said angrily. Harry was surprised at Hermione's lapse in language, but Ron was used to it.

"What exactly does the sign say?" Ron asked, ignoring Hermione's cursing.

"It says that all patrons applying for housing in this building must have a relative that had property in a wizarding community that has ties to this one. So, basically, if you don't have pureblood, you can't even apply to live here," Hermione scowled.

"So Malfoy and Lavender picked a place that would keep out anyone not a pureblood. You should have figured on that, 'Mione," Ron said.

Hermione just threw her hands up and gave up. She and the boys decided to talk about their upcoming assignment to pass the time until Draco and Lavender came down. They waited for fifteen minutes before the last two arrived. Lavender was blushing and Draco just looked pissed. Lavender looked like she had spent plenty of time making her self up.

"Can we go? Tonks will have our heads if we don't get there on time," Hermione said in an exasperated voice.

Lavender climbed on the back of Draco's broom and the group left for Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It took them about forty-five minutes of hard flying to get to the school on time. Hermione and Lavender had started bickering early on in their flight. The bickering had carried on as they entered the hall that they had first spied upon arriving at Hogwart's years ago.

The Great Hall was empty save for the lone metamorphagus Tonks, who was pacing as she waited for her newest charges. She looked up as they entered the hall, and her normally bright pink hair burned red as they approached her.

"I'm so glad that the five of you have decided to grace this humble school with your presence," Tonks said icily as the group assembled around her.

"Glad to be of service?" Ron tried to break the icy silence with some levity.

Hermione nudged Ron sharply. "Not now, Ronald, she's really angry with us. Thanks to Lavender, the dally prat," Hermione had been whispering, but she spit that last bit out at a normal tone. Lavender scowled at her while Harry tried not to laugh.

"Enough! This is how we are going to patrol today. After today, you can choose who you want to patrol with, so long as you actually patrol. Harry, you will be going with Lavender. Draco, you're with Hermione for today. Ron, my boy, you're my special friend for today, no thanks to your failed attempt at levity earlier, and for further notice, while we're on duty, levitate on your own time," Tonks said, her hair returning to its usual pink color.

"Excuse me, Tonks, but what happens after today, in regards to patrolling? There are five of us, and one of you, so that's even, but once you're caught up doing other things, who'll round out the group?" Harry asked, curious as to the nature of the rest of the mission.

"As you should already know, Remus Lupin is back at Hogwart's as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. There will be times that he rounds out the group"

Lavender looked stricken at the thought.

"Don't even open your mouth, Brown. Or should I say 'Malfoy'? I know that we shouldn't worry about the unevenness of the groups without senior Aurors as Ms. Brown will be leaving us shortly, anyway, correct, Ms. Brown?" Tonks said shortly. Tonks knew from the group's arrival that Lavender had been the one to make them late, and Tonks had been at the Aurors' compound the day they had all tested. She did not feel that Lavender should have made it, and could she prove otherwise, she would in a minute. Tonks would most likely never forget the pain Lavender had put Hermione through, nor would she forget Lavender's complicity in having Remus removed from Hogwart's five years ago. "At other times, you will split into two groups, one with two and one with three. You will not be staying on campus unless specifically requested. You will be staying at the Shrieking Shack, along with Remus and myself."

Harry and Draco shared a smirk. Lavender continued to look stricken, now over the idea of sharing lodgings with a werewolf. Hermione stole a look at Ron, and both blushed. Hermione studied her feet.

"Look, I'm not your mum, but I am your supervisor here. Don't get into trouble, keep your noses clean, and don't let your relationships interfere with our work, and we'll all get on fine," Tonks said in an exasperated tone. "Ron, with me. We'll take the owlery and the divination tower. Draco, Hermione, you'll be checking in at Hagrid's and the greenhouses. Lavender, Harry, your duty today is to interview professors and report to McGonagall, after checking on the different Houses. At night, more senior Aurors will be patrolling, so your night are your own. But remember, you are Aurors, and as such, you have to carry yourselves a certain way. Wherever you are, your duty is the safety of the civilians around you."

With that, Tonks stalked off, with Ron trailing behind as he gave Hermione one last look. Harry looked from Lavender to Draco, and with a shrug he led her to the main building of the school they had all called home for seven years. Draco smirked and Hermione groaned.

"Let's go, Malfoy. We've lots of work to do," Hermione said over her shoulder as she headed towards Hagrid's hut, eager to see her old friend.

Hagrid's hut was exactly as Hermione had remembered it. As she and Draco approached, she could see the smoke belching out of the stocky chimney. The garden was even larger than she remembered, and Fang, Hagrid's 'dog' (even after all these years, Hermione had a hard time reconciling Fang with the dogs she had known growing up in a muggle neighborhood). There were no hippogriffs this time around, and Hermione relaxed as she recalled that Buckbeak was still alive and well, resting up at Twelve Grimmauld Place.

Hermione reached the house and waited for Draco, who was peering around, scoping out his environment. He caught up with Hermione and the two stood before the great door, waiting.

"Aren't you going to knock?" Draco asked irritably. "We've a lot of work to do, and I don't want to get in trouble because you have some insane need to visit with an old friend."

"I don't need to knock. Fang will have alerted Hagrid by now, and he would have heard us coming anyways. Now hush and try to be polite. I know we have a lot of ground to cover, but Hagrid may have some insight we can use. I want to know why Aurors have been stationed here," Hermione said quickly, as the door opened.

"Oh, 'Ermione! So glad ter see you!" Hagrid picked Hermione up and swung her around before pulling her into the hut. He grimaced at Malfoy before inviting him in. "I gather yer a right sort, see'n as 'Ermione's brought ya here wit'er. Get in, I've got tea on, an' Fang's missed ya somfin' terrible."

Hermione shot Draco a look that made him gulp. He followed Hagrid into the house and accepted a cup of tea. Hermione took a chair next to him and they waited for Hagrid to sit before they interviewed him.

"How are you doing, now that you have your wand back and you are Assistant Headmaster?" Hermione asked, wanting to spare Hagird what she knew was coming.

"It's a bit mad, you know? In such short time, Dumbledore's gone, Minerva's headmistress, I get me wand back, an'now I'm assistant headmaster. But that's not why yer here, now is it, 'Ermione? Ask what you need to ask, but neither you nor I have time to be dallyin' anymore," Hagrid slipped into slightly more formal speech, and Hermione could see how Dumbledore's death had changed the giant man.

"Hagrid, we need to know why Aurors have been stationed here. And why we, of all the Aurors left willing to patrol the school grounds, were chosen," Draco cut in. He looked at Hermione, who sent him an angry glare. He understood her need for pleasantries, but he also knew that they had a lot of work to get through.

"I'll tell yer what I know, but I don't know much. I can't say ter much, either. Ya'll have ter talk to McGonagall for the rest of the story," Hagrid said quietly.

"Alright. Let's get moving. What can you tell us?" Hermione got down to business, and her eyes were alight as she listened intently. When she focused, she did not even have to take notes.

"Strange things, stranger than the usual, have been happening. The Houses are aligning against one another. Slytherin and Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. But even those alliances are strained. It would appear that the Houses are splitting those alliances. To be more specific, it started with Ravenclaw. The students have rallied together in this time of war, but Ravenclaw stands alone. They refuse to learn to help their peers. Something has happened. Slytherin has been preparing to join leagues with Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. And I've said ter much. Yer gonna need to talk tat ha Headmistress for anymore information. Now get out. I have paperwork to catch up on," Hagrid said, his eyes strained.

"Yes, thank you, Hagrid. So sorry to have bothered you," Hermione said quietly, rising and motioning for Draco to do the same.

"It's not that, 'Ermione, and you know it. But there are things better left unsaid in some company," Hagrid said as the two left the hut.

"So you mean to tell me no one trusts me, not even Hagrid?" Draco said to Hermione as they left the hut on their way to school's greenhouses.

"There's still a lot to be done, and your families stain lies on you as well, unfortunately. In regards to the Order… they just need time. There are things that have to happen, and once they do, you will be accepted completely into the fold. Give us all some time," Hermione said as she walked next to Draco. The greenhouses were close, but Draco stopped and looked at Hermione.

"What has to happen? Why are we all here – especially you three? I know something is going on, and I get the feeling I won't find out what until you decide you need my help," Draco growled.

"Well, then, you're just going to have to wait then, aren't you?" Hermione snipped as she walked into the greenhouses.

Draco stalked after her, muttering to himself.

"Tonks, why'd you put me with you? I would've worked just fine with Harry or Hermione or even Draco. And the owlry? The divination tower? Are the students in danger from an explosion of owl pellets?" Ron said, trying to keep up with the older Auror.

"Not now, Ron. I'll tell you when we get to the owlry, our first stop. Just keep up and keep your voice down," Tonks said as she quickly walked to the owlry, swinging her pink head from side to side to see if anyone was following them.

Ron and Tonks walked in silence the rest of the way to their destination. The climbed the chilly staircase slowly and deliberately, not wanting to disturb the owls or alert anyone to their presence. When they reached the top, Tonks whipped her wand out and charmed the doors locked. Ron glared at the metamorphagus and opened his mouth.

"What in bloody hell are you doing, Tonks? You haven't told me a thing, and Hermione is out there with Malfoy at this very moment!" Ron yelled, but a silencing charm had been cast on the room.

"No, I'm not," Tonks said, but it wasn't Tonks. The pink hair melted away to reveal Hermione's chestnut waves; the eyes sparkled brown as Ron took in Hermione's visage.

"How the hell?"

"Tonks and Lupin came up with this idea. Hagrid was being quite stiff-lipped with Tonks, and we needed some information. I cast a charm on her to look like me, and she cast one on me to look like her. Guess who Lupin is?" Hermione laughed as Remus Lupin stepped out from behind a pillar. His image melted into Harry's form, and Ron sat on the floor.

"Why couldn't you tell me, huh?" Ron asked as Harry eloped him get back on his feet.

"You're not the best actor, Ronald, and we figured you be a little over-dramatic in this situation. We also needed to test Lavender, Malfoy, and sadly, Hagrid. He'd never do anything intentionally, but think of all those times we got into trouble based on Hagrid's information," Hermione said as she gave Ron a quick hug.

"Yeah, and think of all the times we had to fix that trouble or some like it," Harry said, and the three instantly thought of Baby Norbert, the dragon Hagrid had found and tried to raise. They had ended up having to sneak it off the school grounds, and had been the worse for it.

"So, you've had to pretend you were each other for how long?" Ron asked, suspicion growing on his face.

"Since right after we were assigned this morning. Why?" Harry asked uncertainly.

"So, when Tonks stopped into see Lupin, it was Hermione stopping in to see you, right?" Ron asked, shifting his eyes from his best friend to his girlfriend.

"Yes, Ron, what are you after?" Hermione said impatiently.

"You didn't kiss each other to prove to people who you were, did you?"

"No, you jealous git. 'Lupin' here was supposed to be teaching. It would have been highly inappropriate for us to do anything of the sort," Hermione screeched.

"But, if you had needed to"

"I'd stop right there, mate," Harry cut in, eyeing Hermione's clenched fists. "Ginny would kill me if I did something like that, or you would, and you know that we wouldn't. So sod off and think with your head. The one on your shoulders."

"Fine. But let me know next time, okay?" Ron said quietly. Harry and Hermione nodded. "Now, why was I lured up here? Hermione, care for a quick shag?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter. We've been told why the three of us are here. If you don't mind Harry, I'll do the talking," Hermione turned from Ron to Harry and back. "There is something going on with the Houses of Hogwart's. The old alliances have changed. Slytherin has started to come around and drop its old prejudices. Now we're worried about Ravenclaw. That House is no longer fighting alongside the others. They have not openly attacked the other Houses as yet, but we can't wait for them to start before we begin our own counterstrike. As this is so unnatural, we believe that the presence of a horcrux may be affecting the House, or possibly an agent of Lord Voldemort.

"So we're here to work on that. Once Lavender and Draco pass their test, they'll be available to help. And when Ginny finishes her special training with Lupin, she'll be available as well," Hermione finished, taking in Ron and Harry's reactions.

"No one told me Ginny would be a part of this!" Harry's anger spilled into his voice. "She's not even finished with Hogwart's. How can we let her get into this?"

"Hermione, Harry's right. Ginny's too young. Mum will kill us if she got hurt. And we can deal with this, just the three of us," Ron joined in on Harry's side.

"Ron, your Mum knows. She's the one pushing for Ginny to get more training so she can defend herself. And as for her being so young, Harry can attest to the fact that Ginny can be a grown-up when she wants to be. She'll be seventeen soon, so deal. She'll be meeting with us later, after she's supposedly gone to bed. McGonagall knows too. There's more news, as well, that wasn't shared with you either, Harry. Cho Chang has gone missing," Hermione said quietly.

Harry had a strangled look. "Are we supposed to find her?"

"No. That will be left to the most senior Aurors. They think the Dark Lord has taken her. Don't tell Ginny just yet."

"Right. Let's get down to business. I have been given an invisibility cloak for each of you. We'll be using them in our investigations. Easier than polyjuice potions, and less to explain to the people we'll be investigating. Here," Harry passed a cloak to each of his best friends. "Guess I'll be getting one for Ginny as well."

_**Maybe I didn't hold you all those lonely, lonely times,  
And I guess I never told you, I'm so happy that you're mine,  
If I made you feel second best,  
I'm sorry, I was blind. **_

Harry left Ron and Hermione after their impromptu strategy meeting. He headed straight for the Gryffindor dorms, and for Ginny's room as Head Girl.

"Ginny, we need to talk!" Harry shouted, slamming the door shut after himself. "I know you're in here, and I know that you knew what the Order was planning!" Harry spared a moment to cast a silencing charm on the lavish room. It was done up in the Gryffindor colors, with Chudley Cannons posters and pictures of Ron and Hermione, and Harry and Ginny, as well as pictures of the Weasleys (except Percy. Ginny refused to put pictures of her estranged brother up.) along with a hugely blown up shot of the quad in which they were alternately waving and snogging their partners. Harry studied the last picture closely; it was from the day of the dinner before Ginny left for Hogwart's, and she was winking as she and Hermione both patted Hermione's stomach. Harry groaned as he recalled the disastrous night.

"Coming, Harry. Don't get your knickers in a twist," Ginny said as she entered the room from her private bathroom. Her hair was still damp from the shower, and her robe clung to her body in the places where it was still wet. Harry's breath caught in his throat as he took the sight of his lover in. "I think that you need to relax a bit, my love. Sit and talk with me, but no yelling or scolding. If you had known beforehand, you'd have tried to stop me."

Ginny sat down at her mirror, peering into it before turning to face Harry again. She beckoned him with a wave of her arm and a smile. Harry walked over to her, snagging the chair from her desk and setting it down next to Ginny before plopping his body down into it.

"Ginny, I think that you should get your training from Lupin, and whomever else will help you, and then I think that you should help us," Harry said, looking into Ginny's sparkling blue eyes.

"Really, Harry?" Ginny smiled at him.

"No. But that's what you wanted to hear, so I said it. Forget about it, Gin. You've only got this one year left at Hogwart's, enjoy it. Take your time, learn what you can. Then, you can help us, no questions asked," Harry said sternly.

"Alright, my love. It shall be as you say."

"You don't mean that, do you?"

"Not one bit. My invisibility cloak will be arriving shortly, and once I have it, you won't have much of a say in the matter, now will you? Quit worrying over me, Harry. I promise you that until my cloak gets here, I will keep my nose clean and I won't do anything for the Order, alright?" Ginny gave Harry a soft look, and he started to melt inside.

"Alright. Once your cloak gets here, I know I won't be able to stop you. But when it gets here, please tell me. I'll be with you once you start your work for the Order" Harry said, and Ginny started to protest "or else I'll confiscate your cloak and you won't get to do a damn thing for the Order."

Ginny nodded and before she could turn back to her mirror, Harry snaked his arms around her waist and kissed her savagely.

"Harry, we're in my room! What if someone comes in?" Ginny pulled back far enough from Harry's kiss to speak.

In response, Harry whipped his wand out and charmed the lock on the door. "No unwanted visitors now, my Miracle. I already silenced the room. Unless you want me to leave?"

Harry did not give Ginny a chance to say anymore. He pressed his lips over hers and lifted her in his arms, carrying her over to the rather large bed. Harry laid her down gently, propping a pillow behind her head. He continued to kiss her as his hands played down her body, seeking out the knot holding her robe closed. Her body was still damp from her bath, and it drove him wild. Harry undid the knot and pulled her robe apart.

"Harry," Ginny breathed, shyly crossing her arms over her very naked body. She'd not even had the chance to put her undergarments on, so there was no other barrier between her body and Harry.

Harry pulled himself from Ginny just long enough to pull his own shirt off, leaning in to kiss her again. He pressed his warm, dry chest to her warm, wet breasts, and moved slightly. He was not a hairy man, but a light, coarse stubble graced his chest. He rubbed his chest against Ginny's breasts, sensitizing her nipples even more. Ginny embraced him and crushed her mouth into his. Harry slid his hand between them, playing his way from her breasts to her most lovely place, teasing her and lightly tickling before he slipped a finger inside to test her readiness.

She was almost ready, but he wanted to play, to watch her before he had her. Harry moved his mouth from hers, traveling downwards until he reached the mounds of her breasts. He licked and nibbled, and as he played with the pebbles of her nibbles, he decided to try something new. He bit gently, and Ginny yelled his name. Harry chuckled and did the same with her other breast until he could feel her inner most muscles clenching around his finger inside her.

Ginny was murmuring his name, begging him to enter her, to make her come, anything to make it even better. Harry kissed and licked his way down to her red, downy mound. He kissed her navel and the quivering nether-place. He felt Ginny tense up, and he responded by stroking gently, letting her relax. As she loosened up, Harry nibbled his way down the last bit of flat stomach before her reached her core.

Ginny pushed her head back into the pillow as Harry's tongue darted inside her. She groaned as he played with her clit, pushing it around with his tongue. He remembered her reactions earlier, and he softly bit down. That was all it took, and Ginny was screaming his name, pulling him up to kiss him and yank his bottoms off and get him inside her, all at once.

Harry fumbled with his belt buckle, and Ginny impatiently grabbed his wand and aimed it at his pants. They disappeared. She grinned wickedly at him, rising up on her knees to face him. She reached for his rigid member, gripping it tightly. Harry groaned her name and tried to push her back.

"Oh, no, Mr. Potter. My turn."

Ginny pushed Harry back on the bed and glued her mouth to his as she worked her hand up and down his shaft. She broke the kiss and moved her mouth to Harry's hard member. She slowed licked the underside and nibbled on it gently.

"You going to make me… Ginny, I need you," Harry trailed off. Ginny had switched positions, so she still had her mouth on Harry, but he worked his hand into her. He worked her clit hard and fast and soon Ginny was moaning onto him. His shaft started to quiver, and he could not take it anymore.

Harry reared up and threw Ginny down on her stomach. She moaned and backed onto Harry. He reached down and guided himself into her velvety folds. With his other hand, Harry reached around and toyed with her clit, making short work of their passion. It was not long before they were screaming each other's name, and Harry collapsed on Ginny.

Hours later, after they had napped and snacked, Ginny turned to Harry with a serious look on her face.

"What's wrong, Gin? Did we forget" Harry started, but Ginny cut him off.

"Mr. Potter."

"Yes?" Harry said hesitantly.

"You are a very good shag."

_**Tell me, tell me that your sweet love hasn't died,  
Give me, give me one more chance to keep you satisfied,  
If I made you feel second best,  
I'm sorry, I was blind. **_

At that same time, but over in the Shrieking Shack, in the room they shared, Lavender Brown rolled over to shake Draco awake.

"Wake up. I want to talk to you. Wake up, Draco," Lavender said irritably. Draco finally rolled over to look at his girlfriend.

"Yes, Lavender? What can I do for you, at this UNGODLY HOUR!" Draco did not take his wake up call very well.

"Quiet down. I want you to know that I love you, and that I didn't get pregnant to keep you. I don't know what anyone else may say, but you know that, right?"

'It must be the damn hormones,' Draco thought before he opened his mouth to respond to Lavender. "I know. I love you, too. Why are we doing this now, instead of when we're both actually awake and sentient?"

"I know that Parvati told you that I only took to you because it would hurt Ron, but that's not the whole story," Lavender said quietly.

"Then what is the story? You know I won't leave my kid, so why bother telling me now?" Draco said, and he cursed silently as he heard the hurt creep into his voice.

"Well, that was the beginning of it. But I fell in love with you, because you are so… I don't know. But I can't explain it. And if you want me to, I'll"

Draco cut her off, "No, you won't. That's my kid, and no matter what the circumstances, I love you, and I already love her. Please don't do this right now. Just tell me you love me, that you know that I love you, and we'll figure this out in the morning."

Lavender kissed Draco's brow before she turned on her side, cradling her growing stomach. 'We'll have to say something soon, make it official,' was Lavender's last though before she drifted off to sleep.

_**You were always on my mind,  
You were always on my mind, **_

_**You were always on my mind,  
You were always on my mind.**_

Draco heard Hermione's muggle radio through the thin walls, and as her heard the last cords of the famous muggle singer, he rolled over and hugged Lavender tight as he dozed.


	8. I Don't Want to Miss A Thing

Every Time We Touch 

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

People, please read and review. It would be nice if y'all would send me ideas about what songs to use as well… Writing songfics is difficult, and the last chapter was really a stretch for me. I hope that you all like my stuff… Check out the actual songs behind these chapters – We're addicted to Cascada!

**SPECIAL NOTE: Here's a Draco/ Lavender chapter for those of you who asked for it. Sorry if it's not your favorite ship, but I think you'll like it.**

**CH 8 – I Don't Want to Miss a Thing**

**_I Don't Want to Miss a Thing_**, **Aerosmith**

**_I _****_could_********_stay_********_awake_********_just_****_ to _****_hear_********_you_********_breathing_****_   
_****_Watch_********_you_********_smile_********_while_********_you_********_are_********_sleeping_****_   
_****_While_********_you're_********_far_********_away_********_and_********_dreaming_**

Draco woke in the early morning hours to the sight and sound of Lavender sleeping and snoring softly. He smiled and lifted a lock of hair off her brow. He could see the faint tear tracks on her cheeks, and he knew that the tiff they had the night before had affected her more than she had let on. Draco kissed her cheek gently before rising and dressing in light clothing.

Draco walked over to the window of the room they shared and pulled the shade up a little to let in some of the early morning light. He stretched and began going through his paces, doing some crunches and push-ups, waking his body up the way he had been taught during his Aurors' training.

Draco pushed himself harder than he normally would have, betraying his own feelings as to the night before. He stretched and pulled on his muscles, breathing hard. Lavender stirred in the big bed, and she rolled over to look at her lover.

"You shouldn't push yourself so hard, my love. It is too early, even for you. Stop that and come back to bed, alright?" Lavender said with concern in her voice. She sat up and took in the sight of Draco bent over at the waist, breathing heavily. He stood up and she savored the image of him and his leanly muscled chest. All those years of Quidditch had helped get him a shape that Lavender definitely appreciated. She pulled the covers up to her chest in an effort to disguise the effect his presence was having on her body.

"I'm not your love, remember? And don't try to tell me what it's too early for, do you hear me? Why don't you go back to bed, and I'll worry about me?" Draco said nastily. Even though they had tried to make up the night before, he wanted her to sting as much as he did.

Lavender threw the covers off of herself and stepped out of the bed onto the cold floor. She stepped into a pair of silk boxer shorts she had undoubtedly filched from Draco's stash and shucked her nightie in favor of a sport tank top that strained to cover her already growing breasts. "Fine, you want to train, to wake yourself up, you got it. No wands, no magic, just the melee we all learned back at the beginning of training."

"I can't spar with you, Lavender. You're pregnant with my child. I could do serious damage to you if I'm not careful," Draco said as cold pooled in his stomach.

Lavender ignored Draco and quickly silenced and locked the room. She turned back to Draco and called, "Begin!"

Draco did not even get a chance to reason with Lavender. As soon as she had called the spar, she hit him with a left upper-cut. In return, Draco cuffed the side of her head. Lavender fell on her butt, and as she got up, she glared at him angrily.

"No head shots, Malfoy."

Draco responded by kicking her legs out from under her. Lavender twisted her body as she landed, swinging her own legs into his, sending him crashing to the floor besides her. He was winded already from his exercises before she had woken, and she clamored on top of him to gain the advantage.

"Call the fight, Draco."

"No."

"Do it."

Draco took advantage of her still light frame and flipped her over so he was on top.

"Do what?"

**_I _****_could_********_spend_****_ my _****_life_****_ in _****_this_********_sweet_********_surrender_****_   
I _****_could_********_stay_********_lost_****_ in _****_this_********_moment_********_forever_****_   
_****_Well_********_every_********_moment_********_spent_********_with_********_you_****_   
Is a _****_moment_****_ I _****_treasure_**

Lavender's eyes grow smoky as Draco stared down into them. His eyes blazed with icy blue fire as he drew one of his hands away from her side and up to her face. He stroked one finger down her face, tracing her cheek and jawline as he drew his hand down her throat to her chest. Lavender moaned as she arched her back into him. Draco smiled evilly as he slipped his hand inside the top to tease.

Lavender was writhing against Draco, trying to grind her pelvis into his for some release. Draco continued to tease as he licked and kissed her face. Lavender reached for Draco and he pulled back, smiling.

"Not now, dear. My turn, and I'm going to take my sweet time with you," Draco purred as he pulled her top off and began to use his mouth on her, eliciting soft sighs. Lavender held his head in her hands, holding his mouth to her breast as her lathed her nipples with his tongue. She tried to bring his mouth back to her own, but Draco stopped her.

He grabbed her hands and held them above her head as he continued to play at her breasts. He licked and sucked each in its own turn, and as she turned her head to hide her face from him, he grabbed both her wrists with one hand and brought the other down to slip inside her pants. As his finger entered her, he bit down on her rosy nipple as he licked it.

Lavender screamed in her pleasure and bucked, trying to get Draco to do what she wanted, what she needed. He let go of her wrists just long enough to yank his own bottoms off. He ground his painfully hard erection into her, nearly coming at the sensation of silk on his member. Lavender could feel the heat coming from Draco, and she started to pant.

Draco pulled her shorts down and glued his mouth to her entrance, tasting her warm folds. He ran his hands over the mound of her stomach, feeling the being that would be their child in the months coming. He tongued the crisp curls and flicked his tongue over her button. Lavender moaned and sighed, encouraging his efforts.

Before long, Lavender was calling Draco's name, begging him to enter her and relieve her pressure. Draco reared up and grabbed her wrists again, planting them flat against the floor with one hand while the other positioned his hard cock at her entrance. He pushed himself in and started a quick, savage rhythm. Lavender bucked right back into him, matching him stroke for stroke.

All that could be heard were the grunts and groans of the lovers until they reached their breaking points. Draco pounded himself into Lavender, the rhythm getting faster and faster.

"Draco, darling, please! I can't take it anymore!"

"Lavender!"

"Draco!"

Draco grunted one last time and lunged forward, spilling himself into her depths. He panted as he collected Lavender into his arms, tears flowing freely from her eyes.

"Lavender, don't cry, I love you, and that is enough for us," Draco tried to comfort her.

Lavender laughed as she cried, burying her face in his neck. "I'm crying because I love you so much, you prick. I love you, and now you must believe me."

"I do."

**_I _****_don't_********_wanna_********_close_****_ my _****_eyes_****_   
I _****_don't_********_wanna_********_fall_********_asleep_****_   
_****_'Cause_********_I'd_********_miss_********_you_********_baby_****_   
_****_And_****_ I _****_don't_********_wanna_********_miss_****_ a _****_thing_****_   
_****_'Cause_********_even_********_when_****_ I _****_dream_****_ of _****_you_****_   
_****_The_********_sweetest_********_dream_********_would_********_never_****_ do  
_****_I'd_********_still_********_miss_********_you_********_baby_****_   
_****_And_****_ I _****_don't_********_wanna_********_miss_****_ a _****_thing_**

It was Lavender's turn to watch her lover sleep. Her top was destroyed. Draco's pants were across the room, strewn over her small vanity. Her boxer shorts, rather, Draco's, were hung up on the doorknob to their closet. Lavender laughed and snuggled deeper into his embrace, breathing in his scent.

Lavender looked around the room, thinking on the new life growing in her young womb. She was cradled in Draco's embrace, but she slipped her own arms around her stomach, wondering how they would get through the times to come. As she grew bigger and closer to her due date, sometime in the end February or sooner, Lavender was coming to accept that she would be pushed to the sidelines, to a safer task. She would be taken out of the field, while Draco, Ron, Harry, and even Hermione would get to be on the frontlines, and Lavender would never know from one day to the next if she would see Draco alive again. His mother was dead, killed in a rage by his own father, who was in exile after his escape from Azkaban. Draco was not often cautious, and Lavender could only hope that the impending birth of their child would bring him back to his senses, make him take care of himself on the battlefield.

Draco was mumbling in his sleep, and Lavender felt tears trace down her cheek. He was talking about his mother, it seemed like he was talking to his mother, begging her to go into hiding. Draco's arms tightened around Lavender, and suddenly he was telling his mother that Lavender was pregnant, and that he was marrying her. Lavender felt his tears fall into her hair, and she gently shook him, trying to wake him from his nightmare. It was apparent that his present was getting mixed up with his past, as Lavender was not even pregnant back when his mother was alive.

Draco opened his eyes, and they smoked blue as he looked deep into Lavender's own deep brown eyes. He scowled at her for waking him, but his frown softened as he took in the concern on her face.

**_Lying_********_close_****_ to _****_you_****_   
_****_Feeling_********_your_********_heart_********_beating_****_   
_****_And_********_I'm_********_wondering_********_what_********_you're_********_dreaming_****_   
_****_Wondering_****_ if _****_it's_****_ me _****_you're_********_seeing_****_   
_****_Then_****_ I _****_kiss_********_your_********_eyes_********_and_********_thank_********_God_********_we're_********_together_****_   
_****_And_****_ I _****_just_********_wanna_********_stay_********_with_********_you_****_   
In _****_this_********_moment_********_forever_********_forever_********_and_********_ever_**

Draco pulled Lavender closer to his chest, and he opened his mouth to speak.

"I wish my mother were still alive. I wish I had been able to tell her that I was going to have a child with the girl I love before she died," Draco said as he leaned into Lavender even closer, sticking his nose into her lovely brown hair, inhaling her scent as he breathed deeply.

"D'you mean that, Draco?" Lavender said softly, not wanting to believe her ears.

"Mean what? That I miss my mother?" Draco teased.

"No that, you rake. That you love me, and that you believe me when I say that I love you?" Lavender said, hope clear in her eyes.

"Yes, Lavender, I do mean that. And I want to tell everyone, let them know that you are with my child, and that you are the love that I was searching for. Don't expect me to be like Ron with Hermione, or Harry with Ginny, because I can't be like that, I wasn't raised that way. I was raised in a household that valued strength over love, a household that would refuse to nurture a child with a mind of his own. Our daughter will never want for love, never need for acceptance, and never know what 'conditional love' is, I promise you that," Draco said fiercely, his eyes closing as he captured Lavender's mouth in a hot kiss.

Lavender pulled back from the kiss and looked straight into Draco's eyes. "Daughter? What makes you think that it will be a daughter?"

"I don't know, but I know that she'll never meet anyone good enough for her," Draco laughed as he sat up and stood, helping Lavender up. "I think that we need to get ready for our long day ahead of us. Lupin should be available starting today, so I gather that we'll get to patrol with one another now. How did you get on with Harry, anyway?"

Lavender walked across the room to get some clothing out of their chest of drawers as she spoke, "Not too badly. I think that I may have spent too much time aggravating Hermione, though, because all three of them seemed to be colder to me than they are to you. She just pisses me off, I guess. Anyway, Harry mentioned that at some point she and I will have to work in close quarters, and that I should learn from her when we need to do research and reports. Harry was very nice, though. He was careful to introduce me and let me ask my questions. Some of which, might I add, he had not even thought of before I mentioned them?" Lavender said with pride in her voice.

Draco was proud too. After all those years that Lavender had spent using her brain to catch Ron, taunt Hermione, and eventually ensnare Draco, she was finally getting to show her cunning. Draco chuckled softly, recalling that she had not had to do much to ensnare him. Between her smile and the snappy retorts she could toss as casually as she flipped her hair out of her face, Lavender had made quick work of him. Even after Pavarti had spilled about the supposed reason behind Lavender's sudden interest in Draco, he could not drag himself from her.

flashback to Pavarti and Draco's conversation

'I think it's just grand that you and Lavender could get past the revenge on Ron and Hermione thing to make a real go of it,' Pavarti had said giddily, as she slurped down another butterbeer at the celebration of Draco and Lavender passing their Aurors' exams.

'Yeah, just grand, Pavarti. Just grand that I did my part without a script,' Draco had hissed as he got up and left the party thrown by Lavender's family and friends.

That night, when Lavender had crawled into bed beside Draco and turned to kiss him, Draco had gotten out of the bed to sleep on the couch in their modest flat. When she had followed him to see what was wrong, she saw tears in his eyes.

'I love you, and all you care about is tormenting Granger and Weasley. Don't mind me, I'll sleep on the couch or the street, wherever you like your aspiring albeit unwitting actors to sleep,' Draco had snarled, his hands curved stiffly into his blanket and pillow.

'I love you, Draco, and I don't know what you're talking about,' panic had filled Lavender's voice, and she had tried to comfort him.

'Don't. You're a wonderful actress, but don't. I'm sure you weren't counting on Pavarti being such a talky drunk, but that's what you get when you manipulate people, isn't it?'

'But I love you, Draco. That's how this started, but don't you think that I would have stopped before I got pregnant if I didn't love you?'

Draco had advanced on Lavender, ready to beat her as his father had beaten his mother, but when his hands reached her shoulders, he had found himself inexplicably drawn to her lips, and they fought their love on a sexual battlefield. When their passion had spent, Draco had known that no matter what that girl would do, he would always be drawn to her side, to her love for him and his love for her.

end flashback

**_I _****_don't_********_wanna_********_close_****_ my _****_eyes_****_   
I _****_don't_********_wanna_********_fall_********_asleep_****_   
_****_'Cause_********_I'd_********_miss_********_you_********_baby_****_   
_****_And_****_ I _****_don't_********_wanna_********_miss_****_ a _****_thing_****_   
_****_'Cause_********_even_********_when_****_ I _****_dream_****_ of _****_you_****_   
_****_The_********_sweetest_********_dream_********_would_********_never_****_ do  
_****_I'd_********_still_********_miss_********_you_********_baby_****_   
_****_And_****_ I _****_don't_********_wanna_********_miss_****_ a _****_thing_****_   
_**

Draco and Lavender had dressed for a day chasing down clues as to what was happening at their alma mater, and they wasted no time on pleasantries at breakfast.

Hermione cooked for Ron, herself, and Harry, as Ginny was not there to take care of her fiancée herself. Hermione had offered to cook for Lavender and Draco, but Lavender preferred to do her own cooking, and Hermione would not risk Lavender's wrath to cook for Draco. Besides that, Hermione felt the need to cook the muggle way most mornings, and that took too long for Lavender and Draco's taste.

As usual, Hermione had been up earlier and was finishing up breakfast for her own troop when Lavender and Draco came down. Lavender whipped out her wand and conjured up mashers and eggs for Draco and mashers and mashers for herself. Hermione said nothing about Lavender's appetite, but Draco had to laugh. Lately, Lavender had wanted mashers at every meal and as a snack multiple times at night. He had teased, saying he preferred the potatoes on her breath to sour ice cream breath.

"I thought that you two might like to question the Slytherin and Ravenclaw Heads of House today. We'll speak with the Heads of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, and after dinner, Ginny will be joining us to talk about what she's learned from her extended social network here at the school," Hermione said as she ladled oatmeal into three bowls. The eggs she had made were not quite ready when the boys came down for breakfast, so she looked to see if anyone was watching before she cast a quick-cook spell on them before plating them. Lavender caught it out of the corner of her eye and winked at Hermione, before putting a finger to her lips in a 'shh' motion.

Draco caught the motion and laughed. Hermione blushed as Ron and Harry joined them all at the kitchen table.

"Wotcha laughin' about, Malfoy?" Ron said suspiciously as he and Harry seated themselves and their plates floated down in front of them, courtesy of Hermione's levitating charm.

"Nothing, Weasley. Just glad to be out of that damn small office. You'd think that they'd give persons of such distinction as the five of us better quarters, or at least split us up into two groups, but no, we have to breathe the same air at the same time, don't we?" Draco sneered. He was just beginning to imagine what Lavender did best with her mouth when Ron had interrupted his thoughts.

"Merlin, your mood turned our right quick, didn't it?" Harry snickered. "Interrupting deep throats ahem, deep thoughts?"

Hermione flicked her wand and both Harry and Ron's breakfasts disappeared. She scowled at them and motioned for them to get out of their seats.

"Wah'was'at for?" Ron pouted. "I'm hungry."

"We need to get moving. See you during rounds, Malfoy, Lavender," Hermione said as she led her charges out of the room and through the passages to Hogwart's.

"So now it's just us, hmm?" Lavender said thoughtfully.

**_I _****_don't_********_wanna_********_miss_********_one_********_smile_****_   
I _****_don't_********_wanna_********_miss_********_one_********_kiss_****_   
_****_Well_****_, I _****_just_********_wanna_****_ be _****_with_********_you_****_   
_****_Right_********_here_********_with_********_you_********_just_********_like_********_this_****_   
I _****_just_********_wanna_********_hold_********_you_********_close_****_   
_****_Feel_********_your_********_heart_****_ so _****_close_****_ to _****_mine_****_   
_****_And_********_just_********_stay_********_here_****_ in _****_this_********_moment_****_   
_****_For_********_all_********_the_********_rest_****_ of _****_time_**

Draco looked at Lavender and he saw all the House animosity and the shouting matches and the lies fall away. He blinked rapidly and all he saw in the end was a girl glowing with the blush of a new pregnancy. Her chocolatey brown eyes met his steely blue-grey ones, and her eyes dropped first.

"Draco, did you mean what you said?" Lavender said uncertainly.

"Which thing? That our first will be a girl? That no one will ever be good enough for her? Or that I'll love you and all our children until the day I die?" Draco smiled.

"I love you, too. Now tuck in, we don't want to be late."

"Lavender, I mean it. We will be a family. You will be my wife, and we'll spend every moment together."

Lavender stuck her tongue out at Draco and blew him a raspberry.

"Maybe not every moment."

**_Don't_********_wanna_********_close_****_ my _****_eyes_****_   
_****_Don't_********_wanna_********_fall_********_asleep_****_   
_****_'Cause_********_I'd_********_miss_********_you_********_baby_****_   
_****_And_****_ I _****_don't_********_wanna_********_miss_****_ a _****_thing_****_   
_****_'Cause_********_even_********_when_****_ I _****_dream_****_ of _****_you_****_   
_****_The_********_sweetest_********_dream_********_would_********_never_****_ do  
_****_'Cause_********_I'd_********_still_********_miss_********_you_********_baby_****_   
_****_And_****_ I _****_don't_********_wanna_********_miss_****_ a _****_thing_******

Remus Lupin was waiting for Draco and Lavender when they arrived at the school proper. He was in his teaching robes, but he had two cloaks tucked under one of his arms. He flagged Draco and Lavender down and towards Hagrid's hut. Draco sped his walk up to a trot and then a jog. Lavender lagged slightly behind him, holding her barely protruding stomach. Draco reached the hut first and Lavender followed close behind.

"Lav, are you alright? Is she alright?" Draco motioned towards Lavender's slight bulge.

"For now, yes. But this should be my last mission for a while. I don't want to lose the baby, like" Lavender closed her mouth as the door of the hut opened, revealing Hermione on the other side.**_  
_**

"So nice of you two to join us. Please come in. The meeting's already started, and you need to get up to speed," Hermione said crisply, ducking back in to the hut and the circle of Ron's arms. Harry gave Lavender a look which he slid to Draco.

Lavender walked in ahead of Draco and took a seat near the door. Draco stood behind her chair, and they turned their attention to Nymphadora Tonks, lead auror at Hogwart's.

"Thank you all for coming. I feel that you should all be well informed; it is probably easiest to get this over with now. Those of you in the Order of the Phoenix, please rise," Tonks said wryly, as Lupin, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Hagrid all stood. Draco went pale and Lavender's jaw dropped.

"We'd heard of a secret militia, gathered to fight the Dark Lord and his followers, but you lot being in it! That's rotten! Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Lavender spat out quickly, standing and placing a hand protectively on her abdomen.

"We've waited until now because we needed to know that you two could be trusted, beyond a doubt. Many people have given their lives to this cause. Families have been destroyed, and countless other things have happened, far too numerous and too graphic to recount here. You are hereby decreed members of the Order of the Phoenix. Welcome to the fray," Remus Lupin finished dryly. He tossed a cloak each to Draco and Lavender.

"Are these what I think they are?" Draco asked.

"If you think they are Invisibility Cloaks, then you are correct. Moving on, you each have your assigned rounds to do. These cloaks are to help you in your less, shall we say, mundane, tasks. On top of your typical rounds, we need you to go into Hogsmead and the different school Houses. These cloaks are for when you need to go into Houses other than the ones you were placed in during your time here and for some trips into Hogsmead. You will need to go into Hogsmead without the cloaks and make appearances. Not only do people expect to see you all back after the mayhem and mischief you all caused, but you are here to be part of the protection for the area. Your presence will be a comfort to the people of Hogsmead. No questions," Tonks said, looking straight at Lavender.

"So who do we ask, then?" Draco got out before Tonks glared at him.

"Your compatriots. They know the mission. And I hold the final key for you two, the reason behind this assignment: Cho Chang is missing. We believe she may have been abducted by dark wizards, to be used against Harry and the Order," Lupin said.

"Ah'm sorry, you lot, but we all need tae goo. Lup'n 'ere 'as classes tae teach, and tha' rest o' ye need tae be gittin' on wi' yer duties," Hagrid said, standing and ushering the others up and out of his hut.

Outside the hut, Harry headed for the greenhouses while Ron and Hermione walked off to the quidditch pitch. Lupin ran off to his classroom and Tonks went to the Great Hall. Draco looked at Lavender, and she looked right back at him.

"So. I guess we hit the classrooms and then Hogsmead. Without the invisibility cloaks," Lavender said, trudging towards the main stead of classrooms.

"Lavender, I think that you should talk to a midwife or something. Perhaps Madam Pomfrey, even, but you have no doctor while we're here. I don't want to lose you, and I want this to be as easy as possible on you," Draco said quietly.

"So, what, you're going to monitor my butterbeer intake until I pop this one out?" Lavender laughed. "Draco, I'm three, maybe four months along. I have plenty of time to see a midwife. Stop worrying. I think you need to be more concerned with this Order of the Phoenix business such as the fact that it took this long for them to decide to trust us with this."

"Are you saying that you haven't been to a doctor or midwife and you're almost four months along in your pregnancy! I have half a mind to marry you just so I can keep you from damaging yourself," Draco seethed.

"Draco, I'll see Pomfrey before we turn in tonight, and I'll make provisions with a midwife in Hogsmead, just in case anything untoward should happen before we're back at our place. I love you," Lavender said, hugging Draco as they came upon the main grounds.

"I love you, too. Both of you."

**_I _****_don't_********_wanna_********_close_****_ my _****_eyes_****_   
I _****_don't_********_wanna_********_fall_********_asleep_****_   
_****_'Cause_********_I'd_********_miss_********_you_********_baby_****_   
_****_And_****_ I _****_don't_********_wanna_********_miss_****_ a _****_thing_****_   
_****_'Cause_********_even_********_when_****_ I _****_dream_****_ of _****_you_****_   
_****_The_********_sweetest_********_dream_********_would_********_never_****_ do  
_****_I'd_********_still_********_miss_********_you_********_baby_****_   
_****_And_****_ I _****_don't_********_wanna_********_miss_****_ a _****_thing_**

Later that night, after some mild carousing and catching up with friends from the village, Lavender lay on Draco's chest, snoring slightly and smelling of mashed potatoes. Draco magicked the dim lights off in their room and pulled the covers over him and his precious charges. He kissed the top of Lavender's head and drifted into a sleep too deep for dreams, save those of his future family.


	9. All That They Want

Every Time We Touch 

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

People, please read and review. It would be nice if y'all would send me ideas about what songs to use as well… Writing songfics is difficult, and the last chapter was really a stretch for me. I hope that you all like my stuff… Check out the actual songs behind these chapters. I typically use my favorite songs, but for my faithful readers, send me a message with your favorite song (title and artist), your favorite characters, and I'll write special chapters for you!

**CH 9 – All That They Want**

**_All That She Wants,_ Ace of Base**

_**She leads a lonely life**_

_**Ooh, she leads a lonely life**_

Ron and Harry excused themselves from the kitchen table early Tuesday morning in hopes of gaining entry to the other Houses and their respective Quidditch locker rooms. Hermione gathered her notes for her interviews, and Lavender headed to the Great Hall and the classrooms, hoping to gather information using her invisibility cloak.

"Draco, what are your plans for the day?" Hermione asked casually, looking at the monstrous heap of notes and questions that she would have to ask almost every interviewee that morning.

"Why?" Draco asked suspiciously.

"Because, I could use some help talking to these people today, and I believe that you're my best bet."

"Because I'm devastatingly handsome and debonair?"

"Because you're not busy and Ron would be too likely to insult someone into silence."

"Oh. Pass me half and I'll get to it, after I take Lavender down to the hospital wing."

Hermione handed half of the stack to Malfoy, but both her own pile and the pile she handed to him seemed to grow in immensity as they changed hands. "Good luck trying to catch up to her," she said, pointing out the window to the jogging form of Lavender Brown.

"Damn it!" Draco yelled, throwing his invisibility cloak over his arm and turning towards the door of the kitchen.

"By the way, Malfoy, you and Lavender can stop worrying about Ron and me and all the baby talk. I wasn't even really pregnant. My body was trying to make up its mind, and must have decided against a pregnancy right now. But do get her to Poppy, especially if Lavender hasn't been going to a doctor or midwife regularly."

"Thank you, Hermione. Perhaps you could talk to her, or contact Pavarti for me? I don't know that she'll listen to me, but you are a girl," Draco trailed off.

"My, thank you for noticing. How observant of you. Are you an Auror?" Hermione said dryly. Draco wasn't paying her much attention, though, as he was already out the door, chasing after Lavender.

"Why do I have to call Pavarti?" Hermione whined to no one in particular, standing in her empty kitchen. Sighing, she pointed her wand at the dirty dishes in the sink, setting a cleaning charm and heading out the door. She closed and locked the door manually, finishing the job with a locking charm before heading to the passage that would lead her to the school.

Hermione murmured her password as she pointed her wand at the entrance to the passageway from the Shrieking Shack to the school. Stepping inside, Hermione waited for the entrance to close before she took a breath and let her eyes adjust to the darkness.

When that didn't work, "Lumos!" Hermione lit the tip of her wand to light her way, muttering to herself all the time. Most of the things she said were reminders for questions she should ask during the interviews, but worries about Ron and the other relationships in their little household were the story of the hour.

"One, interviews with students and staff, especially those who had known Cho Chang. Bloody girl, tormenting Harry when I was mad over Ron, in reality. Two, talk to Lavender. Three, call Pavarti and get her to talk to Lavender. Hmm, maybe reverse two and three," Hermione ticked off her list of things to do, exiting the passageway and walking up to the main entrance of the school, but not using the great door, opting for a smaller, less ostentatious entrance through a side door.

Students were rushing to and fro, hurrying from the tail end of breakfast to their first classes of the day. Hermione looked longingly towards the classrooms belonging to Professor Flitwick and the newest additions to the Hogwart's staff. Instead of walking down the short hall to what would surely end up being the easiest and least annoying interviews, Hermione turned her attention to the stairs leading up to the classrooms belonging to the professors of the more 'surreal' wizarding arts: Professor Trelawney, a sometime seer and fulltime pain in Hermione's backside; Professor Tabitha Nobtwiste, one of the said new additions, a professor of arithmancy, or foreseeing using numbers and strange algorithms; and finally, Professor Michus Lucius Gregorus, perhaps the strangest of the new professors, and teacher of astrology, a relatively new art taught at Hogwart's, having long been thought of as poppycock.

"Still poppycock if you ask me," Hermione snarled as she began the long trek up to the top of the tower and Professor Trelawney's smoky, incense-infused classroom. Not paying attention to those around her, Hermione bumped into two dark-haired girls. Hermione fell on her rump, and the two girls helped her up.

"Are you" the first began.

" Hermione Granger?" the other finished.

Hermione took a hand from each girl and got to her feet. The first girl picked up Hermione's bag and notes while the other helped Hermione rearrange her robes tidily. Hermione gave them a strange look before she answered.

"Yes, I am, as a matter of fact. And you two are?"

"I am Aura Bao-Beardsley, and I belong to Ravenclaw House," the first girl said, smiling.

"I am Aurora Bao-Beardsley, and I belong to Slytherin House," the other girl said. "We're twins."

"I can see that. Imagine that, ending up in two different Houses, and being twins. Well, I've seen it before. Aura and Aurora, well met, but I must get up to Professor Trelawney before she becomes busy with her tea leaves. And don't you have a class to get to, ladies?" Hermione said crisply, put off by the girls' forward manner.

"Before we head off to Professor Gregorus and his astrology dirt, would you answer one question for us?" Aura asked slyly.

"Is it true that you are involved with Ron Weasley and that Ginny Weasley is involved with the Harry Potter?" Aurora rushed on, not giving Hermione a chance to decline.

"Yes and yes, but that was two questions, and if you don't get yourselves to class, it will be fifty points from both of your Houses, and ten more for each minute you are late," Hermione grated out. She couldn't put her finger on it, but the girls made her very uncomfortable, like her skin wanted to crawl off and hide.

Aura and Aurora Bao-Beardsley each gave Hermione a syrupy sweet smile before they ducked into the nearest classroom, the one belonging to Professor Gregorus. Hermione sighed and stared up the long, winding flight ahead of her and whimpered. She trudged onward and upward, and in ten minutes time, she was seated on a cushion opposite Professor Trelawney, sipping tea and grating her teeth through the necessary pleasantries before she could get to the meat of the interview.

"So, Hermione, what brings you back to my tower after all these years? Finally regretting storming out of my lessons, perhaps you wish for a reading of your fertility, hmmm? Wondering when he'll propose, if ever? Or maybe you have come back to apologize, after realizing that I do have some talent in the divining arts, a talent for teaching those arts, hmm?" Professor Trelawney drawled, her eyes buggy through her thick glasses but intent on Hermione's reaction.

"You know that I am conducting interviews to ensure the continuing safety of Hogwart's and the village of Hogsmead, Professor. All of this is simply routine. If, however, you would prefer Draco Malfoy or Ron to interview you, say the word, and I'll gladly leave," Hermione said grumpily. She made the long trip up and had been ready to put the past behind her, the humiliation of Professor Trelawney putting Hermione's talents in her schoolwork down when Hermione didn't take to Divination the way the other girls had; but her patience had worn out. She stood and strode towards the door when she heard the familiar slump of Professor Trelawney falling back into a prophetic trance.

"The one who goes will not come back, not the way she was. The new ones are not for sooth, but are the wake of her stead. He who has not gone shall return, but not without the greatest and the least sacrifice. Beware the Gemini, for Gemini has always been double-sided and not to be trusted. But abandon not your hope, for if they can withstand temptation, and if those who are their foundation remain steadfast, he who has not left will not be able to return, and she who would be his right hand will falter, and their power source shall be for naught," Trelawney moaned, her body rigid with the force of her prophecy.

Hermione quickly tapped her wand to the side of her head, then to the side of Professor Trelawney's head. She grabbed parchment from a nearby desk and tapped her wand onto the long rolls, transferring the important prophecy and slipping the rolls into her bag before Professor Trelawney woke from her trance.

"Leaving so quickly, Granger?" Trelawney said in her normal voice, eyeing Hermione with a low-level hostility.

"Yes, I don't think I have anything else to discuss with you at this point."

"But we hardly spoke at all, dear girl."

"No need. I'll see you at dinner this evening. You will be joining us, I gather?" Hermione said sweetly as she slipped out the door.

Hermione had to work not to skip her way down the stairs. With the prophecy in her hands, she could put off the rest of her interviews. She headed down to Professor Lupin's classroom, hoping to discuss the prophecy with him and Tonks before she spoke with Ron and Harry. As she thought on the prophecy, Hermione decided to counsel against sharing it with Draco and Lavender immediately, on the chance that the 'new ones' bit referred to them, the two newest members of the Order of the Phoenix. Hermione calmed herself as she approached Lupin's door, and as she reached for the knob, a much disheveled Tonks opened it.

"Oh, 'Mione, what are you doing here?" Tonks said in a squeaky voice.

"Nothing so interesting as what you were doing, I gather," Hermione giggled, peering around her friend and superior to check out the Defense Against the Darks Arts teacher, who was hastily tucking his shirt in and gathering his robes around himself.

Lupin obviously hadn't noticed Hermione or that Tonks had opened the door when he picked up a shredded pillow and a pair of lacy knickers and called over to Tonks, "Darling, I'm the lycanthrope, so why are you the one shredding the bedding and my back? Also, I believe these are yours Oh, hello, Hermione. Hermione! Get in here, you two, and shut the damned door!"

"So, that's basically how it happened. The prophecy, I mean. I don't know that those two girls are anything special at this point, but they make me uneasy," Hermione finished her report o her superiors and waited for their reactions.

Lupin and Tonks shared a look, but it was Lupin who spoke first. "Hermione, my first notion would be to dismiss your misgivings about the twins, but if that encounter bothered you enough that you felt compelled to share it, then it is probably worth our time to investigate. However, since it was Ron and Harry that they mentioned, and they are from two Houses we will most likely have trouble getting into, I think you should let the boys deal with them. I don't agree with using hormones against people, as a rule, but with Cho Chang's disappearance and the dark activity, I'm willing to out and out break this rule, if it means getting back a good witch and putting the Dark One out of commission permanently."

Tonks rested her hand on Hermione's shoulder, which effectively ended the bushy-haired girl's pacing. "Don't worry. The boys know how two handle girls who may be infatuated with them. Ron has a much better head on his shoulders now than before he met you and fell in love with you you can ask anyone. This is a situation in which you have to trust us and Ron and Harry, because those girls are not going to talk to you, Ginny, or Lavender, not without extreme forms of coercion. Go get some lunch, and do a few interviews in the afternoon. Get Ron to take you out, and discuss this then, alright?"

"Okay, I see it from your end of things. I just wish that I could be a fly on the wall when Ron and Harry do their bit. See you two at the Three Broomsticks, will we?"

"Sure, Hermione," Lupin smiled warmly, ushering both women out of his classroom before his class stormed in and wondered about the interesting ménage a trios.

"Oh, and Hermione?" Tonks said as they parted ways in the hallway.

"Yes, Tonks?"

"Stay away from the divination tower for a bit, will you?"

"Alright. See you tonight."

Tonks watched Hermione head in the opposite direction before she donned her own Invisibility Cloak and headed for Professor Trelawney's classroom, eager to observe the old bat during a class, and hopefully see if the prophecy meant anything to her.

After a thoroughly boring afternoon of watching Professor Trelawney ramble over tea leaves and predict the deaths of every third or fourth student, Tonks trudged down past the Great Hall to the old Potions dungeon. It was not nearly as gloomy as it had been when Snape ruled it, but it still gave her the creeps.

A class was being held in the old Potions classroom, but Tonks didn't even remember the professor's name. Whoever it was, she didn't need to be interrupted. Tonks continued past the classroom and headed to the caretaker's office. She doubted old Filch would be happy to see her, but she needed information from him.

The door was closed so Tonks knocked. Once, twice, but no-one answered her knocks. She tried the handle and found the door was locked. Bile climbing in her throat, Tonks threw herself bodily at the door, wand held high. The sight that met her eyes was gruesome.

Filch was a squib: he was a non-magical person born to a magical family. He had a wand but very little talent to use it. As it were, he would have no defense against a dark wizard who meant him harm. When Tonks finally registered the mess on the floor as the caretaker she had annoyed in her own time at Hogwart's, she fell to her knees and cried.

Tonks finally recovered enough to send for Lupin and the staff and her own staff, and she took the time before their arrival to start her investigation. Filch had never recovered from the discovery that his one friend at Hogwart's, Severus Snape, had turned back to the Dark Arts; in fact, his journal lay open on his desk, and his latest entry was an inquiry to logic over why his friend had lost his way.

Scrawled under Filch's own scratchings was a message:

"One last favor for a friend and my master"

Tonks retched as help arrived.

It turned out that Tonks passed out not long after the rest of the group arrived. Lupin took her back to his rooms while Ron and Harry directed the scene. Hermione took down notes and Lavender and Draco interviewed anyone and everyone that had seen Filch before his death. Headmistress McGonagall dismissed classes and ordered all the students to their Houses to await interviews and dinner in their common rooms.

Hermione came to find McGonagall a few hours later, once the Magical Law Enforcement AN: 'MLE' came to take care of things. She left the investigation to Mathilda Gotwaite, head of the MLE team, and gathered her notes to speak with McGonagall and the rest of the aurors at Hogwart's. Hermione had never liked the crotchety old caretaker very much, but she had never wished him ill. Her eyes were red and puffy when she found the Headmistress, whose composure was beginning to slip.

"Ah, Hermione. What have you found?" Minerva McGonagall motioned for Hermione to take a seat. Hermione did, as did Minerva, and both stared at their feet for a moment. Hermione felt a new wave of tears beginning, and the kindly Headmistress conjured a handkerchief for her.

"Thank you, ma'am. The scene was quite gruesome, as you already know. I have found evidence to suggest that a Deatheater did manage to get onto the school grounds; however, with the previous evidence we had regarding the residue left behind in the wake of the Deatheater Snape's curses, the two don't match," Hermione said, putting her handkerchief down and regarding the Headmistress.

"That means that someone else manage to break the safeguards. Hermione, are you sure that it wasn't Severus? Tonks told me about the note, and it is not as if Filch had many friends outside of Snape," Minerva asked.

"I ran several charms against the body and the scene. It was not Severus Snape. I don't know who it was, but it was not Severus Snape or any other known dark wizard who would have knowledge of the safeguards to gain entrance to the school grounds. I'm sorry, Minerva, but we need to look at the possibility that the safeguards need to be redone or that we may have to move the location," Hermione said gravely.

"I'll take your recommendations into consideration, Auror Granger. I will have to call a meeting of the staff. I will keep you and your group apprised of our decisions," McGonagall said brusquely, standing and waiting for Hermione to do the same.

"Headmistress, I am not trying to stir things up. I just want to help. Hogwart's was more of a home to me ever since I got that letter those years ago. I don't want to see it disappear if parents send their children elsewhere," Hermione pleaded with her favorite professor. "Albus Dumbledore was like my own grandfather, and I don't want to see his legacy destroyed by Deatheaters."

"Auror Granger, I need you to leave now. And please don't bring Albus up to me. No-one misses him the way I do. I will not let anything happen to his legacy or this school. Trust me. You were my favorite student, like a daughter to me. I'll trust you, but for now you have to believe me."

Hermione left the office crying harder than she had entered. Her relationship with her favorite professor was left in the balance, and her job was to track down a professor who had betrayed them all.

All while she trusted her best friends to interrogate two unsettling girls who were quite infatuated with them and quite possibly not all sane.

After Hermione left, Minerva McGonagall allowed herself the luxury of a good cry. She sat behind her desk, averting her face from the multitude of paintings depicting the previous heads of Hogwart's, but especially from that of Albus Dumbledore.

After about an hour, Minerva was hoarse from her crying and screaming, and her eyes were red. She rose from her chair and regarded the portraits. In each painting, the heads were trying to offer sympathy or advice, but Minerva silenced each, save that of Albus Dumbledore. Knowing the paintings could only formulate speech based on the person's life experiences until death, she wasn't expecting an earth-shaking revelation.

But that's what she got when she addressed the painting of Albus Dumbledore.

"Albus, what can I do? Filch is gone, killed by a Deatheater, but not Snape. And you're gone, forever, and you left me here to do things I wasn't prepared for. And Harry, oh, Harry; Albus, he's engaged to Ginny Weasley. The next generation, if we can beat Voldemort and his Deatheaters. And Cho Chang is missing," Minerva said to the figure as he turned his face to hers.

"I know, Minerva. I know all of this, and I've never been happier for our boy," Albus responded, and Minerva's eyes flicked to his.

"How can you know this? No-one's told you," she said, her eyes widening.

"Do you think I'd ever leave you, kitten?" Albus said, his eyes sparkling as he stepped out of the painting and into Minerva's office.

"Albus? But you're dead!" Minerva cried as Albus folded her into his arms. Her tears began anew as Albus rubbed her back and hair, kissing her gently, comforting her. "How could you let me think you were dead? Does Snape know he failed? Is that why you kept up the farce?"

"Minerva, Snape is on our side. He never actually attacked me. We set up the scene, but a broom was waiting for me. I wasn't pushed off the roof; I jumped onto the broom and headed for Godrick's Hollow via Grimmauld Place. I've been orchestrating things with Snape from there. He's been leading both the Deatheaters and the Ministry on a wild goose chase, giving us time to track down the newest threat," Albus said as he led Minerva to sit down. He pulled a chair up next to her, and held her hand as she cried herself out for the second time that day.

"Why did you go back to Godrick's Hollow?"

"You know why."

**When she woke up late**

**In the morning light**

**And the day had just begun**

**She opened up her eyes and thought**

**'Oh what a morning'**

**'Its not a day for water**

**It's a day for catching men**

**Just lying on the beach and having fun'**

**She's going to get ya**

early the next morning

"Aurora! Come here! The plan's working. I got an owl this morning, and we're going to Hogsmead tonight with Potter and Weasley," Aura Bao-Beardsley called to her sister in the corridor outside the Great Hall. The Ravenclaw waved to her Slytherin twin, who hurried over.

"Good. Me, too. Father'll be so happy, and everything's set for Mum to come back, too," Aurora whispered.

"How pathetic. Granger and Weasley can't even keep track of their own men. And they're so young to have already lost their hold on the manly parts. Imagine, newly nineteen and the men have already gone off to find someone younger. Aurora, I think it's about time we get out the old-fashioned charm. Mum already mentioned how Potter's got a thing for the far-east," Aura said, wiggling her hips suggestively.

"What's that, ladies? Don't you have to get to breakfast?" the twins turned to face their worst nightmare: the Head Girl of Hogwart's and fiancée of Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley.

"Ah, Ginny, we were just talking about you," Aurora said in a saccharine sweet voice.

"Yes, of course," Aura agreed in the same tone.

"I'm sure. Fifteen points from each House for lollying to breakfast," Ginny said in a tyrannical voice.

Ginny left the two girls to speak behind her back. Aura made a face and a nasty gesture while Aurora raised her wand to hex Ginny. But Ginny was expecting the curse, and she neatly returned it along with one of her legendary bat-bogeys.

"And thirty-five more from each for disrespect and assault on the Head Girl. Want to try for an even hundred?" Ginny tossed over her shoulder.

"Damn," the girls said together.

**All that she wants**

**Is another baby**

**She's gone tomorrow, boy**

**All that she wants**

**Is another baby**

**Oh yeah**

That evening, Harry and Ron were at the Shrieking Shack getting ready to take the Bao-Beardsley twins out for the night. Draco was going over the plan with Hermione and Lavender when Ginny showed up to add her two cents.

"I don't like this, Harry," Ginny said as she entered the Shrieking Shack from the passage leading from the school grounds. "The twins think you and Ron are cheating on us with them. They are not sane. They have something planned, something about bringing someone or other back once they've ensnared you two."

"Gin, Hermione, Draco, and Lavender will all be there. Tonks and Lupin will be close by to authenticate anything that is said or done by the twins. And they come from a respectable family in the magical community in China. They have roots here as well. We're just talking to them to see if they know anything, to see if they is any upsurge in dark activity on that side of the world," Harry slipped his arms around Ginny and kissed the top of her head.

Ginny caught his chin with an uppercut and grabbed his shoulders. "They are dangerous. They are not what they appear to be. Be careful. And I spoke with McGonagall. I'll be there as well."

Harry rubbed his sore chin and looked at Ginny. "Fine. It's not like I can stop you when you've decided to do something. But be careful. If the twins find out you're there, it could mean trouble for you at school."

"Are you ready to go? You need to meet the twins by the school gates in fifteen minutes. The rest of us will be in the Three Broomsticks under our guises an invisibility cloaks. Once we're there, let the twins get away with anything and everything. I agree with Ginny: they are more than what they seem, and that makes them dangerous. I can't promise I won't melt Aura's face if she does try anything with you, Ronald," Hermione said, coming to stand next to Ron, putting her arms around his waist and looking up into his eyes.

Draco and Lavender entered the room and made a face. "Oh, sod off with the mushy stuff, people. We have to get to the Three Broomsticks now."

Lavender nodded and grabbed her cloak as she gave Ron and Harry a glance. "Well, you do look half-presentable. Shall we?"

With that, Hermione, Ginny, Lavender and Draco headed one was and Ron and Harry another.

"Well, mate, I guess we get to test our mettle," Ron said as they made the short trek up to the school.

"Yeah. Did you teach Ginny that uppercut?"

"Yup."

"Remind me to thank you later."

**So if you are in sight **

**And the day is right**

**She's the hunter **

**You're the fox**

**A gentle voice **

**That talks to you**

**Won't talk forever**

**It is a night for passion**

**But the morning means good-bye**

**Be ware of what is flashing in her eyes**

**She's going to get ya**

Much later that night, Ron and Harry weren't getting anywhere in their interrogation. The twins were trying to get them drunk, but each had eaten prior to meeting the girls, and they had recognized the ditzy waitress as a heavily disguised Nymphadora Tonks. As a result, the hard drinks they were served were hardly drinks at all.

Harry had a tougher time pretending to be drunk than Ron did. Ron was used to getting a little tipsy with his older brothers, but Ginny preferred Harry to keep on the other end of the bottle. Harry followed Ron's lead, but he couldn't bear the thought of Aurora touching him, so every time she tried to put her hand on his knee, he stretched and moved out from under it. Ron managed to keep out of harm's way by faking a limp on the way to the pub, so Aura had to be much more overt, giving Ron ample time to change position so she couldn't touch him overmuch.

"So, what's a couple of blokes like you doing in the Three Broomsticks on a night like this, without your old ladies?" Draco came over to the table Ron, Harry and the twins were sitting at, along with Lavender, who pretended to be sloshed.

"Ah, you know Hermione. All work and no play makes one Hermione," Ron said, wincing at the words. The felt so bad, even though they all knew it was a farce.

"Yeah, and with Ginny, she drinks till her nose runs and without letting anyone else hit the bottle. I've never seen someone put down as much firewhiskey as that one," Harry laughed thinly. He knew Ginny was listening, and that she knew the plan, but he cursed the twins simply for the fact that he had to say such things.

"Can we join you?" Lavender said thickly, slyly winking at the twins as she pushed Draco down and plopped into his lap, with an 'OOF!' as Draco caught her before she fell off his lap.

"So, Aurora, we know what Slytherin is like for a boy, but what it is like for a member of the fairer sex?" Harry asked as he moved her hand off his thigh for the nth time that night.

"Hardly as entertaining as it would be to be a Gryffindor like you, Harry," Aurora purred. "Rumor has it you like Asian girls. Am I Asian enough for you? No red hair, but my family has money."

Ron, Draco, Lavender, and Harry shared a look. The twins were more than a little drunk, and Aurora's last remarks were the beginning of the end of the interrogation. Lavender started to drop the pretend drunk act and focus on the task before her.

"So, your father is Nigel Bao-Beardsley, but who's your mother? I don't know any Bao family in the isles; did he meet her in China?" Lavender asked coyly.

"Oh, mum's last name isn't Bao, silly," Aurora laughed, nudging Lavender. "It's CHANG!"

"So, Chang, that's not a name we hear often, is it?" Draco said smoothly, leaning forward across the table to get Aura's attention.

"We knew a girl named Cho Chang. She's gone missing is she your sister, is that why you're here?" Ron added.

"Sillies, we don't have any other siblings. Cho Chang is our mum!" Aura giggled. "She and Daddy are going to bring back our lord to his full power, and Mummy will be his queen. We're going to be princesses!"

Hermione Apparated next to the table with a loud 'POP!', quickly followed by Lupin. Tonks rushed over to the table, but the twins continued to talk.

"Mummy doesn't like Daddy very much, that's why she left. But the Lord said that he'd make Mummy like Daddy again, and then we can go back to China. But I like you, Ron, and I wanna stay with you," Aura said dreamily.

Tonks looked at Lupin. "Cho Chang is only a year older than Ron and that lot. Those girls would be nine, ten years old at the most. How can they look and act so much older?"

Lupin looked at the girls' faces closely and closed his eyes. His eyes snapped open and he shouted at Ron, "Get away from them, now. Dark magic surrounds and infuses them. They aren't what they seem!" he hissed.

Harry bolted out of his seat and to the corner by the men's room. Ron waited a minute before he turned back to the table. He mentally slapped himself for not following his best friend, but he noticed Ginny coming out of the woodwork and knew she'd take care of things.

Ron, Draco and Lavender all shot out of their seats and cast disarming and binding spells on the girls.

"Retornam anem!" Lupin bellowed, not caring for the crowd gathering around them. As his spell connected with the twins, the façade melted away.

Their facial features reformed, leaving much younger faces behind. The already-petite figures shrank about a foot, and the well-rounded bosoms flattened, leaving two scared ten-year old girls to face one of the most feared Aurors in the Ministry: Nymphadora Tonks.

"We're taking you back to the Ministry tonight. You will be given veritaserum and you will then be interrogated to the extent of my authority. If you tell me where your father is, I will find him to stay with you. As of this time, you are wards of the Ministry of Magic, and I will be escorting to the Ministry myself," Tonks said stiffly, changing her own features back to her own normal self complete with bubblegum pink hair. Lupin nodded.

"I'll be joining you. Granger," Lupin said, turning his attention to Hermione, "Take over my classes while I'm gone. We'll owl McGonagall later."

With that, Tonks and Lupin each grabbed one of the twins and Apparated to the Ministry.

Hermione looked at Ron. "Ginny's outside with Harry. I think they need some time. Let's head out the back way and get to the Shrieking Shack before they come back. We don't need to interfere with this."

"Fine. But can we have a real drink before we go back to the house? I'm shot to hell over this. It is too damn confusing, with the aging spell, and Cho Chang, and not knowing who the hell is on our side," Ron said as he pulled Hermione down onto his lap.

"Yeah, I think we all need to get snockered. We deserve it. And Ron can buy, considering what horrible things he said about you," Lavender laughed.

"I agree. Roz, drinks here, please!" Hermione called out to Madam Rosmerta, who happily obliged.

"Anything for you lot. You did good tonight. And your drinks are on me, or helping me get this place back after that fiasco three years ago," Madam Rosmerta said warmly, setting down foaming mugs of her special rose ale, which had a bite to it, more like a whiskey than a beer.

"Thanks, Rozzie. We'll come back while we're stationed here," Lavender said, draining half her mug before Draco caught it and put it back on the table.

"Only non-alcoholic drinks for my Lavender, here, okay?" Draco said to Lavender, who pouted before nodding. "Alright, a pale non-alcoholic ale for my girl."

Madam Rosmerta laughed and went to get the drink while the group unwound over their drinks and 'debriefed'.

But it was a different story outside with Harry and Ginny.

**All that she wants**

**Is another baby**

**She's gone tomorrow, boy**

**All that she wants**

**Is another baby**

**Oh yeah**

Ginny caught up with Harry halfway back to the Shrieking Shack. She caught his arm to stop him, because he was ignoring her shouts.

"Harry, wait up. We need to talk. Cho Chang is not who she used to be. You need to help us find her so we can stop her," Ginny pleaded.

"Ginny, I know what has to be done. We have to find Cho and get her to come back. Then we can fix everything," Harry said.

"No. We have to find her and stop her. She can't bring Voldemort back. She sent the twins to get you out of the picture, or to gain your advantage. She cannot be helped, and she will kill you if she gets the chance," Ginny said.

"You don't know her, Ginny. You don't know anything about my relationship with her."

"Because there isn't one! You never had a relationship with her. You went out once, back in your fifth year, and she dumped you because she thought you were mad for Hermione. Don't let this distract you from the mission: to stop those who would bring Voldemort back to power. Now, that includes Cho Chang," Ginny said, looking into Harry's eyes.

"I never had a relationship with her? What do you know about that? I had a crush on her since I first laid eyes on her my first year here; I had to watch her with Cedric Diggory she out and out chose him over me! He died, and she rebounded with me. Between you and Hermione, she thought I was playing with her, so she dumped me. And then she dated and probably slept with every other guy in the school! How could you understand that!" Harry shouted, his face getting red.

"It's really not that hard, Harold James Potter. I met a boy with hair black as night and eyes greener than the green in summer the year before I started Hogwart's. My first year there, I was already in love with him and Voldemort used that against me, and I almost died. After that, he was so head over heel in lust with a certain witch of Chinese descent, so I ended up going out with a series of immature boys that I had to physically fight off to defend myself for that boy.

"After that, the boy dated that girl. And he never cared about how I felt I was like a sister to him. It wasn't until I had known him for six long years, six years that I pined for him and supported him in every way. I finally managed to get that boy, but he decided it would be too dangerous for me to be with him. It took him an entire summer and beginning of a school year before he'd look at me the same way. I know how things can hurt, but I also know that you can't let it color your actions and ideas.

"Let me lay it out straight for you: Cho Chang never loved you. Everything was leading up to this. She has kids, she bespelled them to look older and ensnare you, and she is ready to become Voldemort's dark queen. If you don't drop this ridiculous idea of her being your first love, I will leave, and I will not come back!" Ginny finished, shouting at the top of her voice. People who had been listening intently decided to leave the couple to each other.

Harry went very pale. "Ginny, that's not what I meant. I thought I loved Cho Chang, and I'm angry that I fell for everything. I'm angry at her and Voldemort, and the whole situation. Please, I know I've been a complete asshole, but don't leave me. I couldn't take it if you left. You keep me sane. I love you, and I want to marry you. Please, believe me, Ginny."

"I want to believe that, Harry. But you're making it very hard. You can't say that you loved her. Not to me, not knowing how long I've wanted you and wanted to be with you. If you want to make this work, drop the drama. I'm here, and if you're with me, you're with me. And only me. And I'm not going to wait around for you forever," Ginny said tearfully, pulling away from Harry.

"I promise you, Ginny, tonight was the last of this feeling. More than anything else, I want to stop Voldemort," Harry reached for Ginny, but she stayed just out of his reach.

"Yes, and after that we'll marry?" Ginny said bitterly. "If you come back."

"Why wait? Let's get married tonight. We're of age. We can go back to the school tonight and get married; McGonagall has the authority to perform a ceremony. We can have a bigger ceremony later. What do you say, Gin?" Harry asked, his eyes bright.

"Alright. Let's do it. But I want a real wedding after you kick Voldemort's butt," Ginny said, leaping into Harry's arms.

"What'll we do about Cho Chang?"

"I'm going to kick her butt. No need for you to worry about that," Ginny laughed. Harry carried her back to the school grounds, where he put her down and grabbed her hand to lead her to McGonagall's office.

When they arrived there, however, Minerva McGonagall was nowhere to be found. They searched for her, but ended up back at Hagrid's hut to ask him where to find her.

"Ah doon knoo where tae fin' 'er, 'Arry. Ah goot an' owl a few 'ours ago, tellin' me dat Ah wa' in charge 'til Ah goot another owl from 'er. Wha' can Ah do fer ye two?" Hagrid had invited the couple to come in and have tea with him, and he was waiting to hear about the night.

"We'll tell you about the pub later. Are you authorized to perform a marriage ceremony?" Harry asked first.

"Well, yah, 'Arry. Bu' why oh, ye two are gettin' on an' want it to be okay wi' the parents?" Hagrid's eyes sparkled. He put his desk-sized hands on Harry's shoulder while he looked at Ginny.

"Will you do this for us, Hagrid?" Ginny asked.

"But ye need witnesses, Ginny. Two of 'em," Hagrid said.

POP!

POP!

"Hallo, Harry, Ginny, sister dear," Fred Weasley said.

"Well, at least your nookie sessions will be legal," George added.

"But our presence here doesn't mean we like the idea of you fooling around with Ginny," Fred said.

"How'd you know what was happening?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"We planted a magical bug on Ginny to help the Order keep an eye on her. Don't worry, it was only on her robes. We didn't hear anything in the bedroom. Although we heard the entire conversation in the Three Broomsticks and outside it. We're here to be your witnesses, and to give our beloved sister away," George said.

"I'm surprised you didn't bring Mum, or that you're not trying to stop this," Ginny said.

"You are engaged. This was going to happen, no matter what. And Mum has enough to worry about now, with Percy dropping off the map completely. Your wedding will make her happy, but she can't take the planning right now. We'll deal with her later, but now it's important that you do this. This will make you happy, right?" Fred laughed at the look on his sister's face.

"You're only helping so I won't tell Mum," Harry laughed. He had long been calling Mrs. Weasley 'mum', and everyone agreed that it sounded good. "I wish she could be here."

"Ahem. Can we get on wi' this?" Hagrid asked, rubbing his eyes. "Ah goot a class i' the mornin', and yer keepin' me up."

The twins nodded, and Harry took Ginny's hand. Hagrid tapped their clasped hands with his wand and a ribbon of light tied itself around them. Hagrid performed a simple, ancient ceremony in Gaelic. It culminated with Harry promising to protect and love Ginny, a vow which Ginny answered with her own, an oath to love Harry and be his partner, and to be his tether to this world.

"I already saved your life once, Potter," Ginny said in a teasing voice.

"Back at you, Potter," Harry said, smiling broadly.

"'Arry, d'you 'ave a ring fer her?" Hagrid asked.

Harry looked at Ginny and was about to shrug his shoulders

"About that," Fred said.

"We have a gift for you, from the family heirloom category," George said, reaching into his pocket and coming up with two white gold bands.

"We've always had a big family, but the Weasley line culminated in Dad in his generation. He had a lot of aunts and uncles, and so we give to you our aunt Elizabeth's rings. She never managed to have children, though; her husband was killed by a dark wizard and she lost their only child not long after. As such, the bands are charmed to link one lover to the other: you two will always know if the other is in danger, and the bands are twinned, so you can use one to find the other in times of need. So, here you go," Fred said as George gave a band each to Harry and Ginny.

Harry looked at the band sitting in his hand. It was a white gold band set with baby emeralds and sapphires, each one cut so it would play the light from any angle. The one in Ginny's hand was a heavier white gold band, without the gems but it had an intricate Celtic knot inscribed on the outer edge. When Harry looked back at the ring in his own hand, he saw that the same design was cut into the inner edge of the ring he had for Ginny.

His hands were shaking as he reached for Ginny's left hand. Tears were forming in Ginny's eyes as he placed the ring on Ginny's left hand. As Ginny reached for his left hand, Harry realized that he, too, had tears in his eyes. The rings were placed, the ribbon of light dispersed, and Harry took Ginny into his arms and kissed her deeply.

Hagrid sniffled loudly like a truck getting hit by a train. Fred and George discreetly wiped tears from their own eyes before clearing their throats loudly.

"We need to get back to the store. Mum often checks in with us, and she'll worry if we're not there. Where's the paper we need to sign, Hagrid?" Fred said quietly.

Hagrid, who still couldn't speak, conjured a contract, which the twins, Harry, and Ginny all signed. Hagrid signed last and zapped the paper with his wand, sealing it with a legal charm to finish the ceremony.

Ginny pulled herself from Harry's embrace and hugged her brothers. "I love you two so much, and I don't know how I could ever thank you."

"Just remember, we have each other, and you have Ron, but we will always have each other. You have us and Charlie and Bill. Don't forget that. We love you, Ginny. You, too, Harry. If you ever need us, you know where to find us," George said. He and Fred apparated with loud POP!s and then Hagrid ushered the newlyweds out of his hut.

"Ya can't live in tha dorms no mure, Gin. Yer a merried girl now, so go back wi' yer man," Hagrid said, shutting the door behind them.

"How'd we get from the rings to standing outside Hagrid's hut so quickly?" Ginny asked, giggling.

"I don't know either. But I do know that I have to carry you all the way back to the Shrieking Shack now," Harry laughed as he picked Ginny up and started towards the passage.

"Sorry, but you're a dingleberry. Apparate us there. I want to make love to my husband," Ginny said, and Harry obliged.

With a POP, Harry and Ginny were outside the Shrieking Shack, and there was no sign of the other occupants.

"They're not here, and I don't want to go find them. Let's tell them in the morning," Harry suggested, climbing the steps and opening the door, carrying Ginny over the threshold the old-fashioned way.

"It'll have to be early. I still have classes," Ginny said as Harry set her down in the living room of the Shrieking Shack.

"I'm afraid you'll be very tired come morning," Harry said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Not as tired as you'll be!" Ginny led the way to Harry's bedroom, and for many hours later, only sounds of joy and laughter, and certain other 'happy' sounds could be heard coming from the Shrieking Shack.

AN: I know this was way too long. But this is what Harry and Ginny wanted, and they wouldn't let me be until I wrote this.

Tchau!

All that she wants

Is another baby

She's gone tomorrow, boy

All that she wants

Is another baby

Oh yeah


	10. I Could Not Ask For More

Every Time We Touch 

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

People, please read and review. It would be nice if y'all would send me ideas about what songs to use as well… Writing songfics is difficult, and the last chapter was really a stretch for me. I hope that you all like my stuff… Check out the actual songs behind these chapters. I typically use my favorite songs, but for my faithful readers, send me a message with your favorite song (title and artist), your favorite characters, and I'll write special chapters for you!

**Chapter 10: I Could Not Ask for More**

**_I Could Not Ask For More, _Edwin McCain**

_**Lyin' here with you**_

_**Listening to the rain**_

_**Smilin' just to see**_

_**The smile upon your face**_

Harry rolled over late the next morning, and to his pleasure, Ginny was curled up next to him, wearing nothing but her vibrant red hair. Sunlight was streaming in, turning it to red gold, and Harry stuck his nose into it, inhaling the scent of his new wife. He threw an arm around Ginny's slim waist and snuggled closer.

"Mmm," Ginny said, rolling towards Harry. She opened an eye, closed it, opened it again, and opened the other. "Fuck, Harry! I'm going to be late!"

Ginny leaped out of bed and started throwing things around the room, looking for clothes to wear to class. Luckily, she had clothes at the Shrieking Shack, but they were all buried under Harry's laundry.

"DO you ever do your own laundry, or do you just leave it all for me to do when I'm here?" Ginny seethed as she finally found a shirt and skirt that were the least wrinkled of the bunch. "No wonder no-one else would marry you!"

Harry was watching the whole scene with a bemused look on his face. "And your temper would keep any other man from marrying you. So we're both lucky to have one another. Now stop griping at me and get dressed. I'll apparate you to the school gates, and you can use your invisibility cloak to get up to the main buildings."

Ginny looked at Harry as she pulled on her clothes and grabbed her cloak. Her wand was still in the pocket, and then she just tapped her foot while she waited for Harry. "I'm waiting, lover."

Harry threw his pants and cloak on, forgoing a shirt and socks as he pulled on boots. "Shall we, Gin?"

Ginny nodded as Harry wrapped her in his arms and apparated the two of them to the gates of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When they arrived, Harry could see Hagrid making rounds, securing entrances after the murder of Filch.

"Looks like they're not taking any chances, now that yet another person has died here. Hindsight really is 20/20, I guess," Harry said bitterly.

Ginny took Harry's hand in her own. "No one meant for Albus to die, Harry. We couldn't have known that Snape would do that."

"But I did, Ginny, and no-one, not even you, would believe me, or even care enough to investigate the situation. I didn't let him down. Everyone else did."

SMACK!

"I swear to Merlin on all things holy and peanut butter-filled! Harry, no one let anyone else down! It happened, and Dumbledore wouldn't want us to think it was our fault. He would want us to carry on that work he started, and we can't do that until you forgive all of us. Now, I've got to go, because I have to meet with McGonagall before I go to class, to advise her that things have changed. She'll probably tell me to move my things out of my dorm, now that I have a husband. I'll see you at dinner tonight, with the rest of the gang," Ginny gave Harry a quick peck on the cheek.

She ran off, throwing her invisibility cloak over her shoulders, and Harry called after her, "You mean I have to tell them myself, before you get back?!"

"Yup!"

_**And these are the moments**_

_**I thank god that I'm alive**_

_**And these are the moments**_

_**I'll remember all my life**_

Harry took his time walking back the long way to the Shrieking Shack, as he was supremely wary of telling his best mate that he'd married his sister.

"Best be clear to Ron that it is his sister I married, not my own," Harry said to himself as he kicked a stone down the road ahead of him. People were milling about; paying him no mind, but Harry was completely unaware of his surroundings.

Stores were opening for the days sales; inns were airing rooms out for new customers; Madam Rosmerta was locking her tavern up tightly so she could runs her morning errands before she opened for the lunch rush. Harry took in the scene around him, wondering how different it would look to him if he were strolling down the lane with his parents, or Dumbledore, or Sirius. Even if he had Lupin or Tonks walking with him, talking about work or the Order, it would be different.

Suddenly, Harry felt very much alone in the world. He'd never met his parents while they had lived. Dumbledore had died not so long ago, killed in the war that threatened the lives of all his friends and loved ones, including his new wife, who'd never be kept from battle for anything. Sirius had fallen through the mirror into the Vale of Shadow, but even before that, he was unavailable to Harry due to his imprisonment and subsequent fugitive-status.

Harry began to laugh at himself in derision. He was all alone in the world, yet expected to save it. He would be going up against the most evil, powerful black wizard of the ages.

And he was afraid to tell Ron that he'd gone ahead and married Ginny.

Suddenly, a weight in Harry's chest was lifted. He walked faster towards the Shrieking Shack, filled with anticipation and the thrill of telling his two closest friends that he had finally married the girl of his dreams. As tough as everything else would be, Harry was finally beginning to realize that wherever he went, and whatever he faced, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny would always be right beside him, fighting and helping keep their collective head above water.

_**I've found all I've waited for**_

_**And I could not ask for more**_

It was midmorning by the time Harry arrived at the Shrieking Shack, having taken his time walking through Hogsmead after his little enlightenment. There was activity in the house, and Harry jogged up the last bit of path to the door.

"Ron, come back here and help me clean all this stuff up!" Harry heard Hermione's voice growing shrill. He smiled as he wondered what his best mates were trying to clean.

"Hermione, there's no way that McGonagall would let Ginny move in here, not even for the sake of the Order. I don't think you should even ask her, not right now. She seems a bit off, if you ask me. This might just push her off the deep end, if you ask me," Ron hollered to Hermione as he rushed out the door, almost colliding with Harry.

"Wotcher, mate!" Harry laughed, grabbing Ron by the shoulders before he could bowl the black-haired man over. "What's going on?"

"Hermione is cleaning a room for Ginny, in the extreme off-chance that McGonagall will allow the Head Girl," Ron emphasized the last two words before continuing, "move out of her dorms and into the Shrieking Shack with her brother, friends, and lover. Because, you know, McGonagall does stuff like that all the time, and Hermione has been so chummy with the old bat lately."

"I think Hermione and the rest of us should keep up the cleaning. It is very likely that Ginny will be moving in here shortly," Harry said, keeping his voice light.

"Ya, because you already went off and married her, right? Good joke mate," Ron said as Harry guided him back into the house.

Hermione was busy glaring at Ron and was about to start back in on him when she caught the glint off Harry's band.

"The git married her! Ron, they're married!" Hermione cried, rushing over to Harry to crush him in a warm embrace. "Last night, I bet. Who married you? McGonagall, or did you do it in the town?!"

Ron paled. "You. Married. My. Sister. Without me there! You're dead, Potter!!"

Ron leaped on his best mate and started to pummel him, but Draco and Lavender had rushed downstairs when they heard the word 'married'. They thought that Ron had finally done something right, but

"Oy! Knock it off, Weasley! At least now everything they're doing is legal," Draco said, dragging Ron off Harry, who was turning a becoming shade of purple under Ron's not-so-loving ministrations.

Ron's chest was heaving when Draco finally let him go. He turned back to Harry, who stood his ground.

"Last night, Ginny and I had it all out. After the fight, we went to the school, but we couldn't find McGonagall. Hagrid married us, and Fred and George witnessed the whole thing. They even gave us your aunt Elizabeth's rings. Everything happened kind of quickly, and then this morning, Ginny had to get back for her classes, so" Harry trailed off, seeing the hurt in Ron and Hermione's eyes. "We wanted you to be there, but there wasn't time."

Lavender leaped on Harry, hugging him and giving him a sound kiss on the cheek. "Good for you, Harry. Draco and I, at least, give you our best wishes."

"Don't go putting words in my mouth, girl," Draco pretend-growled. Lavender laughed and went back to her own man, who mock-glared at Harry. "What makes you think this will change anything?"

"Hagrid himself said that Ginny would have to vacate the dorms. She'll still be Head Girl, but she'll have to carry out her duties as best she can from off-campus."

"You went and did this without even thinking about Ginny," Ron accused. "How hard will it be for her to do everything she has to, now that she has to get there from here every day and back, and she'll be out of touch with the social life there."

"I only thought about Ginny, Ron. She wanted to get married, as did I, and we didn't want to chance dying without being married," Harry said through gritted teeth.

"You went and did this without talking to us, to our parents," Ron continued, ignoring Hermione's attempts to quiet him. "How do we know you won't up and leave her again, like you did end of sixth year? You almost killed her then, d'you know that, Potter?!"

"Look, Ron, you're my brother now, so I'll try to say this as nicely as possible: shut your mouth. You are upset that you were left out, not that we got married. You're pissed because you haven't got the guts to marry Hermione right now. Leave my marriage out of that. And if you make Ginny feel as bad about this as you're trying to make me feel, I'll beat you into a bloody pulp, and your brothers will help. Do you understand me, Ronald?" Harry roared at his best friend. Rarely had Ron aggravated him so in the time they'd known one another.

Ron was silent. Draco and Lavender left on their own errands for the day. Hermione looked from her lover to her other best friend and back again before she spoke.

"We are both happy for you. We just wish we had been included, Harry. Surely you understand wanting to be included?" Hermione said softly. "And Ron, you know they love one another. Let it be, please. And don't take what was said in anger to heart."

"Sorry, Harry. I just she's my only sister, my kid sister. I wanted to be there," Ron said, wrapping his arm around Hermione before offering Harry his hand to shake in friendship.

"I know. I wanted you to be there, too, Ron. You and 'Mione are my best friends, outside of Ginny. But it was a split-second decision. We've already decided to have another, bigger celebration, for everyone to be at. I wasn't trying to destroy Ginny's last year, you know," Harry said, shaking Ron's hand before he pulled his best friends into a group bear hug.

"We get it. Now let us go. We have to ready the house," Ron groused. Hermione smiled and pulled away, but as Harry did the same, Ron pulled him back and gave him a smacking kiss.

"Serves you right!"

_**Lookin' in your eyes **_

_**Seein' all I need**_

_**Everything you are**_

_**Is everything to me**_

Ginny arrived in time for dinner that evening with a perturbed look on her face. Harry took her cloak while Ron and the rest passed her around for hugs and good wishes. Lupin and Tonks had decided to join the group for dinner when they heard Harry and Ginny's good news.

"What's wrong, Mrs. Potter?" Hermione asked as she and Lavender dished up the food and passed plates.

Ginny sat and joined the conversation. "It was weird. There was a note from Hagrid excusing me from his class today so I could pack, and telling me that the house-elves were instructed to help as needed, but I had a hell of a time finding McGonagall to let her know what was going on. The reason I'm so late getting back here is that I just managed to find her before she left for the Great Hall. I told her what was going on, and she just acquiesced, saying that if 'Hagrid, whom Albus himself hand-picked for Hogwart's, had agreed, then she would not disagree', end quote," Ginny said with a smirk.

"Sounds like there was some unfinished business there," Ron said as he lifted his fork before Hermione glared at him. "Right. Sorry. Best wait till everyone is seated and served."

Harry came back from hanging Ginny's cloak and gave her a quick kiss before he sat next to her. "Sounds strange to me. We'll have to talk to her. If she's losing heart, she'll have to be replaced in the Order and at the school."

Lupin's head snapped up. "Harry, you don't know the situation. Minerva has done much for the Order and for Hogwart's. If she's a little off right now, it is only because of Filch's death. Give her some time to recover."

"I agree. By the way, the funeral is this weekend. We are all attending, dress robes and all," Tonks said, sitting next in between Lupin and Harry. She gave Harry a hug. "I know you're sick of death and funerals, but soon we'll take care of things so Voldemort can't fuck with any of us anymore."

Ginny nodded, and most of the other heads at the table did as well.

Forks started digging in, and the day passed into evening as everyone at the table shared their day and plans for tomorrow.

Harry alone wondered what else was going on with one of his favorite professors from Hogwart's.

_**And these are the moments**_

_**I know heaven must exist**_

_**And these are the moments**_

_**I know all I need is this**_

Ginny moved into the Shrieking Shack with ease. Harry added a bureau and a wardrobe to his room, which Ginny filled quickly. One of the desks was brought into the room for Ginny to use for her final school work, and not much was about the situation after that.

One morning, as Harry was watching Ginny get ready for class, he suddenly sat up.

"Ginny, is McGonagall still acting strangely?" Harry asked out of the blue.

Ginny tied her shoes and turned to her husband. "Yes. She's just assigning things from the textbooks in her classes, and Hagrid has taken over a lot of her duties. She still does the most important things, but Hagrid takes care of the day-to-day running of the school."

"I'm going with you to class, Ginny," Harry decided, getting out of bed and throwing on his own robes, smoothing them into a semblance a neatness. "I need to get to the bottom of this. We can't just let McGonagall get lost in grief. I care for her more than that, and I know everyone else does, too."

"Fine, darling. Ready?" Ginny asked, heading for the door. Harry shook his head, grabbed her 'round the waist, and apparated them to the school gates.

The ran to McGonagall's office, hoping to catch her before she headed to her first class, but Ginny stopped Harry before they barged in.

"She's speaking to someone, Harry. Listen," Ginny 'shhd' him, putting her ear to the door.

"Albus, we must tell him. This is too much now. He must know about his bloodline. And James poor, handsome, lovely James and Lily. We can't let this happen again. I'm sick of the repetition!" McGonagall's voice could be heard.

"She's talking to his portrait. She is deeply in grief. Let's go," Harry said, grabbing Ginny's hand and dragging her into the office.

What they saw and heard astonished the newlyweds:

Albus Dumbledore, in the flesh, comforting Minerva McGonagall, saying, "Kitten, we'll tell Harry soon. We didn't know that giving our James to the Potters would lead to this. If I had known, do you think I would have sent our son to be fostered there?"


	11. I Hate Everything About You

Every Time We Touch 

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

For the sake of not getting flamed, Ginny is 17, and the Trio ranges from 18-20. You'll understand the note later.

I know I'm fudging with the Tom Riddle-Voldemort/ Potter family timeline, but you'll understand. (Besides, how many people know this stuff by heart? No flames for that last remark, okay?)

**Chapter 11: I Hate Everything About You**

**_I Hate Everything About You_, Three Days Grace**

**Every time we lie awake**

**After every hit we take**

**Every feeling that I get**

**But I haven't missed you yet**

Harry and Ginny froze in the doorway to Minerva McGonagall's no, Minerva Dumbledore's office, silent and with eyes wide open. Ginny reacted first, turning her attention to Harry. The older couple had yet to recognize that they had an audience, but Harry was going through something that Ginny couldn't even describe.

His face was ashen, as it had been when Sirius had fallen through the mirror into the Vale, when Dumbledore had died. His eyes, however, were flashing with an angry green fire that Ginny had rarely seen. It was a fire previously held in reserve for Voldemort, but now Ginny was seeing her new husband turn that fire and anger on one of his favorite people in the world.

A favorite person who appeared to be a grandfather Harry had never known about.

Ginny reached out her hand towards Harry's closer arm, but he shook her off and instead charged Dumbledore, laying him out on the floor with an uppercut to be proud of.

"You bloody, rutting old bag! How could have never told me this?! I fucking hate you, and I wish you were still gone," Harry roared at the top of his lungs.

Albus started to rise, but faltered. Minerva rushed to his side, helping him up as he spoke to his grandson. "And what would have had me tell you, Harry? That we're your grandparents, and we let you be fostered out to those awful Dursleys? Your father never even knew, not until the very end. As I recall, he took it rather the same way you did, boy."

Harry just shook his head violently and turned to leave the office. Ginny stood in the doorway, blocking his escape route. "Harry, you have to listen to them. I'm sure they have quite a lot to say, to both of us," Ginny emphasized the us as she dragged Harry to an overstuffed couch. Harry sat and Ginny took a seat next to him, snugging her hand in the crook of his elbow.

"Ginny, perhaps now is not the time," Minerva said, helping Albus to another chair, and dusting off his robes for him. "Harry has heard some unsettling news, and has said some things I am sure he would like to rethink."

"Min, I think it is time to tell him. At least, what is most pertinent at the moment. Such as the reason I am still breathing," Albus said, smiling at his wife.

"Very well. I myself would like to know why you gave me such a scare," Minerva conceded. "I suppose you'll be staying to hear the tale, Mrs. Potter?"

Ginny blushed and nodded, leaning into Harry and offering him the kind of support only a couple or the closest of friends could understand.

"I'll hear you, but I make no promises until I hear the story," Harry said coldly.

"Very well," Albus cleared his throat. "Kitten, if you would stop pacing and sit down?"

Minerva blushed and did as Albus asked, pulling a chair close to his as she prepared to hear and perhaps tell the story.

**Every roommate kept awake**

**By every sigh and scream we make**

**All the feelings that I get**

**But I still don't miss you yet**

"I met your grandmother when we were both still quite young, for the wizarding world. I'm sure by now you are aware that once you hit your prime, we age differently? It has something to do with our talents, or perhaps how the magic is funneled through us and given freedom by our spells and minds; Nicholas and I never did figure it out completely," Albus began, and he was already digressing when a stern look from Minerva made him chuckle.

"But I digress. I met your grandmother here at Hogwart's many years ago. We fell in love and were married, and then I became Headmaster here at Hogwart's for my first tenure, which went quite well. Minerva taught a few classes, but also did work for the Ministry of Magic. Being an accomplished animagus, your grandmother has always been an indispensable personage for both the Ministry and Hogwart's," Albus smiled at his wife, putting his arm around her and leaning against her for some support.

"I'll take it from here, love," Minerva said, sitting up a little straighter. "Your grandfather and I left Hogwart's for missions a few times, but also because we had some issues with people about our marriage."

Ginny chimed in, "Why? Because you're both so powerful?"

Albus and Minerva shared a look before Minerva continued. "Yes, dear. Partly. The rest doesn't matter. When we came back from those missions, your grandfather once again became headmaster of Hogwart's. It was during this time when a young, talented fellow by the name of Tom Riddle entered Hogwart's."

"Voldemort. We know. 'He had so much potential. And not even a pure-blood!' we've heard the story before," Harry said rudely.

Albus rapped his staff on the floor loudly AN: he conjured the staff. Magic, ya know?? "Enough! You will not show your grandmother such insolence, boy! Now keep your mouth shut and your ears open."

Harry looked a little shaken, but he spoke up again. "But she's only just become dear ol'granny."

FWAP!!!

Ginny smacked Harry so hard across the face his cheek was red. Everyone just stared at Ginny, who stared right back, unrepentant.

"We all know he wouldn't have shut up otherwise," Ginny said lightly, sitting back down. "Please, continue. I won't let him interrupt you again."

Harry glared at Ginny, but Minerva continued the story.

**Only when I stop to think about it**

"Tom was very talented, but he hated how he was made fun of by the pureblooded students. His father was a muggle, but through his mother, Tom Riddle was related to Salazar Slytherin, founder of Slytherin House, and one of the Founders of Hogwart's. We know now that he framed Hagrid for the offence that saw him expelled. He was one student that everyone in the school was glad to see gone. We had just found out that I was pregnant with your father when Tom returned to the school and demanded the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. It was then, when he became violent after being turned away that I left the school for a while.

"While I was away in a muggle village, growing rounder with your father by the day that Tom did the things that would end up in his first defeat and his rise as Lord Voldemort. After he declared his plans for a pureblooded wizarding war, he also declared a vendetta on your grandfather and his line Keep in mind that at Hogwart's at that time, no-one knew that we were married, let alone that I was pregnant with your father. Voldemort had tortured a sibyl to death to get the prophecy out of her: one from the Dumbledore line would always thwart him, no matter what.

"After that I received an owl from Hagrid, who at that time was already a close member of the family, telling me of the war that had begun while I was off picking nursery colors and playing with names we had thought of. I went into premature labor, and that day Voldemort almost won. Your father shouldn't have survived those first hours. I mentioned to you, Ginny," Minerva turned to the redhead, "that I had done research on the chant that helped you bring Harry back from the brink of death. It wasn't research, it was experience. I used a chant my own mother had taught me when I was a wee girl to keep my beloved James alive.

"When Albus got word of what had happened, about James, he rushed from Hogwart's to be at our side. He brought Hagrid with him, and they took turns keeping watch to make sure we were safe. After about a month and a half, your father was strong and healthy, Harry. That was when Albus told me we had to foster him out. The Potters had just miscarried a baby, and no-one outside Gryffith and Marina Potter knew about it.

"We were not proud of it, but we stashed your father there, and with a few well-cast memory charms, the Potters had a bouncing baby boy, with your grandfather's coal black hair. I returned to Hogwart's soon thereafter. My absence was easily explained, due to my liaisons with the Ministry.

"Hagrid stayed not far from the Potter family home, and James grew up looking at Hagrid like a brother. Various other close friends helped him keep an eye on James. That was actually the beginning of the Order of the Phoenix, did you know that, Harry? The very first mission was protecting your father," Minerva's voice was beginning to give out on her, and she leaned her head on Albus's shoulder. He kissed the top of her head before he spoke.

**I hate everything about you**

**Why do I love you?**

**I hate everything about you**

**Why do you love me?**

Albus cleared his throat and took up where Minerva had left off.

"Your grandmother and I had a very rough time of it until your father came of age and showed up at Hogwart's when he was eleven years old. We let our marriage slip so it was only between us; no-one even remembered that either one of us had ever married. Soon, we would just be focusing on keeping your father from expulsion.

"James got away with quite a lot during his seven years here. Your mother was probably the only one who could keep him from his worst antics. Sirius Black was just as much trouble as your father, and Remus Lupin could never say no to Sirius and James once they had hatched a scheme; Lupin grew much stronger after he became a werewolf, and not just physically he became the steadfast man you know today. Your father would have been more like Remus, if he were still alive, I like to think. Peter Pettigrew was always an anomaly, but he adored your father and Sirius, so they let him be one of them. If only James had listened to Sirius all those times," Dumbledore sighed, obviously feeling great pain over the betrayal of one of his son's closest friends. "Except that last time. Sirius would never had given up the secret, but we all thought that because of Pettigrew's unobtrusiveness he would be under Voldemort's notice.

"We remember when Lily gave up the fight and decided to step out with your father. Severus, who had a special affection for Lily, never forgave your father for that. James and his friends tortured Severus during their school years, but he could abide by it when Lily was his friend. We were all surprised at James finally catching his girl, but at the same time, we had expected it for years. They were married, and still no-one knew anything about James's true parentage.

"To this day, I think that Severus's fall into Voldemort's web was triggered by the wedding. Lily invited him, thinking that it would be a good way to try to fix things. When Godrick's Hollow was attacked, we made the assumption that Severus had tricked Pettigrew into going to Voldemort; obviously, we know now that Pettigrew had been Voldemort's pet for ages before he even became the Secret-Keeper.

"Ah, Lily was always trying to fix all the wrongs your father did. James wasn't nearly as kind and brave as a schoolboy as he was when the war proper began. Your father was one of our best warriors, not just brave but a wonderful strategist. He and Lily, along with Sirius and Remus planned most of our attacks. Remus, being a werewolf, was able to get close to Fenrir Greyback, who even back then was one of Voldemort's allies. He and his followers were responsible for bringing the giants into Voldemort's fold, which ended in their near-extinction. Remus almost lost his life when he was found out by one of Greyback's lieutenants, but Sirius and your father managed to turn the tide back against the more experienced werewolf.

"Lily was stationed near Hogwart's as a sentinel in a house I'm sure you have become well familiar with: the Shrieking Shack. I was even down in the infirmary when Poppy told Lily she was pregnant with you. I fairly ran to Minerva's quarters then, to share the news. Unfortunately, Fawkes was waiting for me with an important missive from the Ministry. Millicent Bagnold, Mistress of Magic at that time, who knew James's true parentage, sent us a message that Voldemort had found out that James was our son. The Potter's had been tortured with the Cruciartus Curse, and when they still couldn't tell him what he wanted to know, he used the Imperio Curse and a memory breaking spell known as the Addo Recordatio. The Addo Recordatio spell will bring back any memory that has been suppressed, magically or otherwise; unfortunately, like the Imperio, it has the tendency to break the mind it is used on. The Potters were left with less sanity and awareness than even the Longbottoms."

**Every time we lie awake**

**After every hit we take**

**All the feelings that I get**

**But I haven't missed you yet**

Albus rested his head on Minerva's while Ginny looked at the floor and Harry gazed stony-eyed at his paternal grandparents.

"So, you're responsible for the death of my father's foster parents? A family that could have had another child instead involuntarily adopted a child that would lead to their death by torture," Harry said without emotion.

"We're not proud of what happened to the Potters, Harry, but we had to foster James. We had no idea that the prophecies would culminate not in him but in our grandson. Place no blame on us, Harry, for we didn't make Voldemort and Pettigrew do that," Minerva said quietly. She sat up a little straighter, and suddenly looked more youthful. "I'll continue, if you don't mind, Albus?"

Albus nodded, and his wife began to speak again.

"Most people still don't know about your line, Harry. We've been trying to protect you not only from Voldemort but also from the public. You are descended from some of the most powerful bloodlines in the wizarding world. The McGonagall line has always produced the most adept, powerful animagus and metamorphagus; the Dumbledore line produces some of the best minds and alchemists. Nicholas Flemmel, whom your grandfather worked with on the philosopher's stone was descended from the Dumbledore line through his mother; if that had been public knowledge, they wouldn't have been able to work together. The Ministry gets scared when powerful families like ours start to intermarry; I assume when all this gets out, there will be some public outrage about your marriage to our Miss Weasley."

Ginny's head popped up. "Why? We've done nothing wrong, and the Weasley family, while being an old line, is nothing sp"

Minerva cut her off. "My dear girl, you never knew your grandparents, and your parents don't make much of it, but your family has always had much power. Look at the twins: they left school without taking the bulk of the classes they would need as adults and members of the Order, but they have gotten out of more scrapes than the rest of the Order put together and by themselves. Your brother Charlie is a parseltongue that is why he works so well with the dragons. Bill and Ron have power coming out their ears, and with Ron as an auror well, you've seen him in action. And you, Ginny the Gaelic blood that rings true in you is natural magic: even if you had never come to Hogwart's, you would have more power and skill than most who've passed through these halls, to heal, to hex, and ultimately, to fight. Much is made of Hermione, but the two of you are well-matched, and even; you two are the preeminent witches of the age. There will be anger when the old families, the weaker ones, realize that in your children will be the culmination of the greatest families the wizarding world has ever seen."

Ginny looked from Minerva to Harry to Albus before she just smiled. "Well, good to know I'm good breeding-stock."

All four laughed before Minerva cleared her throat and continued the story.

**Only when I stop to think about it**

"After he shared that message with me, Albus took me with him to the Shrieking Shack to speak with James and Lily. We told them about the Potters, but then we had to tell them about the message, and the truth. Your father railed against your grandfather, but Lily just smiled, rather as you've been doing, Ginny. Lily smiled and told your father that she had just assumed that he was adopted, because that was the only explanation for his 'acting out', as she put it.

"Everything was coming down to the wire. The Potters were certainly not the first casualties, and they wouldn't be the last, but their deaths were the ones that spurred us to hide your family at Godrick's Hollow. You were born and we were all so happy; it was a welcome interlude that wouldn't last long.

"You had just turned one, and Remus was missing. Pettigrew was supposedly a clerk at the Ministry then, and he told Sirius that the Ministry wouldn't care if Remus died, because he was a werewolf. That set Sirius off, and he demanded we chose a different Secret-Keeper, because he was going behind enemy lines to rescue his best friend, and his cousin's boyfriend. Even back then, everyone could see that young Tonks, who, mind you was only about fifteen to Remus's own twenty-five, was crazy for Remus. The only thing that kept her from going with Sirius was a mandate from the Auror Corps that if she left on this mission, she would never be allowed to become an auror.

"Pettigrew showed up then, and in our grief over Remus's disappearance, we listened to Sirius and Pettigrew, making him the Secret-Keeper so Sirius could save Remus. By the time Sirius realized it was a trap and tried to get back to warn us of Pettigrew's treachery, it was too late. On Halloween of 1981, Voldemort, along with Pettigrew and the Death-Eater Lucius Malfoy stormed Godrick's Hollow.

"James was killed outright. Lily died while shielding you with her body. With the power of a mother's love, she unknowingly imbued you with the power as an infant that would not only keep you from dying when Voldemort turned the Avada Kedavra Curse on you, but the curse bounced off and nearly destroyed Voldemort. He and his minions retreated to perform the dark magic that would reunite his soul with the shell of his physical form.

"Sirius arrived before us, and when we got there, along with the MLE, he was delirious, saying it was his fault. Cornelius Fudge, who had just become Minister of Magic, had Sirius Black summarily sentenced to Azkaban without a trial. A trial would come, but after the press reported the sentence, there was no way Sirius would have been found innocent.

"We brought Hagrid back to Hogwart's before we decided to have him along to take you to your maternal aunt and uncle. Hagrid almost couldn't go throw with it, and he even offered to take you and disappear until you came of age, but we forbade that. A blood-tie, mingled with your mother's final spell and your aunt's denied magical power was the safeguard you needed.

"I was luckier than your grandfather at that point. Do you remember the older woman who lived near you, the one with the cat that used to keep you company when your uncle or cousin would lock you out when your aunt wasn't there to let you back in? You know now that the woman was a witch, but she never knew about the cat you thought was hers. That cat was me, Harry, in my feline form. I watched over you all those years, wanting to change shape and take you home and make everything right, but I had to settle for hearing you cry and tell me about how awful your foster family was. That was how we knew where to send your letter when you started Hogwart's, and how Hagrid knew about Vernon and Dudley.

"We always loved you, and we were always so close as to make sure you were safe."

**I hate everything about you**

**Why do I love you?**

**I hate everything about you**

**Why do you love me?**

Albus and Minerva waited for Harry to speak. Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry, offering him all her support.

"Why didn't you tell me when I finished Hogwart's, or when we thought Gramps was dead, then?" Harry said acidly. Ginny sent Minerva a sympathetic look. "Am I supposed to say 'all is forgiven, whose house shall we have the Christmas dinner at'?"

"No, Harry, we don't expect this to fix everything for you or us. But you needed to know this. We had to be the ones to tell you, not Remus or the Weasleys or anyone else. Take some time and think on this. Like it or not, you have extended family now, blood family," Albus said, rising out of his chair and pulling Minerva out of hers as well.

"If we wizards live so long, why do you look so old? I thought we hit our prime around the same time as humans, but wouldn't you have been too old to have my father?" Harry asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Minerva smiled before pulling her wand out and tapping Albus's shoulder and then her own. Sparks flew out of the tip of her wand and engulfed the older couple before falling away and revealing a much younger-looking couple. Most all the wrinkles in Minerva's and Albus's face melted away; Minerva's hair lost its gray, showing her natural red color; Albus removed his half-moon spectacles, no longer needing them for his older guise. The couple even stood straighter, losing the last visage of eld.

Ginny spoke first. "You look to be almost younger than Hermione's parents," she said. Hermione's parents were older muggles, and having Hermione when they were in their forties, they were over sixty. The couple standing in front of them couldn't be more than fifty.

"It would take a while to explain, but we are quite a bit older than the Grangers. Wizards and witches age much more slowly, due to our longer lifespan; it was for the sake of hiding everything that we took on the guise of being older. People never comment on how old you look, just how young you look, so it made sense. Now we don't need this; people will start to make the connections on their own," Minerva said, smiling. "Now, you may be angry with us, but will one of you please hug your dear old Grams?"

Ginny glared at Harry, who finally got up out of his seat and hugged his grandmother. Albus let his grandson hug his grandmother, even lifting her once, before he tapped Harry on the shoulder.

"May I have a handshake?" Albus looked directly into Harry's eyes. With Harry growing so tall towards the end of his schooling, and Albus not being stooped anymore, they were the same height.

"No," Harry said, a smile quirking the corners of his mouth.

"No?" Albus asked, hurt.

"No, Grampa, you can't have a handshake. I think a hug will do," Harry said, embracing his grandfather for the first time as his grandfather.

**Only when I stop to think about you**

**I know**

**Only when you stop to think about me**

**Do you know…**

Harry and Ginny left Albus and Minerva to each other after the four discussed Ginny's living arrangements and her duties as Head Girl. They decided to tell the members of the Order who were closest to them about the latest developments.

Ginny had missed her classes due to the protracted meeting in the Headmistress's office, so she joined Harry and they headed back towards the Shrieking Shack. They walked in silence for a while, digesting all the information so they could share it with Ron and Hermione.

"Do you think we should tell Draco and Lavender?" Ginny asked before the headed up the final hill to the Shrieking Shack.

Harry shook his head. "No. We're telling Ron and Hermione because we're all family. Draco and Lavender can find out with the rest of the Order."

Ginny though a moment before she bit the bullet. "Harry, I think we need to go get Sirius. You haven't spoken with him in a long time, and I think that it is high time you did something about that."

Harry froze mid-step. He turned to Ginny and spoke. "I've tried owling him, and using Floo Powder like he did when I was at Hogwart's. He isn't interested. Whatever happened in the Vale, when he fell through the mirror, he doesn't wan to talk about it."

"But now that Grampa is back, that may change things. Harry, after we tell Ron and Hermione, you are apparating to Grimmauld Place and retrieving your godfather, whether he wants to be retrieved or not," Ginny stomped her foot to emphasize her point. "You two can be children with one another after the war is won, do you here me? I have spent the entire day watching you mistreat people and feel sorry for yourself. You are going to do something good today, I swear it."

Harry gulped and nodded. He loved his wife, but she could be a right terror when something or someone rubbed her the wrong way.

**I hate everything about you**

**Why do I love you?**

**You hate everything about me**

**Why do you love me?**

As Ginny had surmised, it didn't take the two of them too long to fill Ron and Hermione in on the information they had learned. Hermione had been speechless, and Ron was eager to hear more about the Weasley line.

"It is a Friday, so we decided we'll be having a celebration later tonight, with the entire Order here. We're celebrating our wedding and the return of Dumbledore, so it will likely go one all night," Ginny said, making Harry get off the couch that he been sharing. "I'm pooped, so I'll take a nap while you three start gathering our guests. The twins know and they're telling Bill, Fleur and Charlie. Remus and Tonks will come up after his last class to help get ready. Hagrid has already headed to the Burrow. That lot will help set up. Everyone else will be winging in after that. But Harry has a special mission, don't you, love?" Ginny smiled a saccharine-sweet smile at her husband.

"Yes, I have to hit the pound at Grimmauld Place to pick up Sirius," he said acidly.

"Ad Solum!" Hermione yelled, pointing her wand at Harry, who obliging hit the floor with an audible 'oomph!'

Ron laughed. "You really shouldn't talk like that about someone 'Mione cares for. That 'hit the floor' spell really smarts after a while," Ron smirked as Harry gingerly stood up.

Rubbing his rear and heading for the door, Harry started muttering under his breath.

"Ad Sol" Hermione started to say, but Harry put his hands up in the universal 'okay, okay, enough, I'll behave' gesture all men are born knowing.

"Damn girls," Harry muttered as he shut the door and hit the porch with his already sore bum. "Alright, Hermione, I'm sorry! Knock it off, will ya?!"

**I hate – You hate**

**I hate – You love me**

**I hate everything about you**

**Why do you love me?**

Harry apparated quickly to 12 Grimmauld Place. He didn't even have to be careful, as Sirius Black had finally been found not guilty. The Ministry was making reparations to Sirius for his false imprisonment and for his service to them and the Order in spite of everything.

Harry knocked, feeling quite awkward. He hadn't spoken to his godfather since he'd escaped the Vale in the middle of Harry's 7th year. Sirius had escaped in time to see Harry graduate Hogwart's, but then he'd secluded himself in a room at the Order's headquarters. A young house-elf Harry had met recently answered the door.

"Oh, Mister Potter, sir! Dawny is so 'appy to see you, sir! Mister Sirius is not well at all, sir, 'e misses his 'Arry so! Come in, come in, sir!" Dawny the house-elf, Dobby's little sister, had needed a job when the last of her master's family had died without an heir. Dobby had begged Harry to help his little sister, and Harry thought Sirius would welcome a nice house-elf, since Harry killed Kreacher with his own hands for his treachery. Dawny fit in well, and she was good company for Sirius, and she made sure he ate and bathed regularly.

"Thank you, Dawny. Sirius is going with me for a bit would you like to pack your things, and I'll take you to stay with Dobby? The other house-elves can take care of this place while you and Sirius are gone," Harry said, entering the house and kneeling so he was at the house-elf's height.

"Oh, thank you, 'Arry, sir! Dawny 'asn't seen Dobby in so long! 'E'll be so surprised! Dawny will go get ready while Mister 'Arry gets Mister Sirius!" Dawny leaped on Harry and gave him a hug and a smacking kiss before she scampered off to tell the other house-elves what to do in her absence. The house-elves that Harry had procured for the headquarters we all free, and they were paid regularly in their favorite currency: clothing. Dawny had other things as well, as she had a suitor among the household Ikki, a house-elf from Japan who had come with his mistress, an elderly Shinto priestess who had wished on her deathbed that Ikki be freed and find his own wife and home.

Harry walked up the stairs to his godfather's rooms. He didn't knock, but instead barged in. Sirius was poring over a photo album, and his head jerked up at the noise.

"Harry," he whispered, slamming the book shut. "I'm sorry. I fucked so much up. I want to make things better."

"Good. You have your first chance now. Will you please come back with me to the Shrieking Shack? Lots of things have happened, and there is a huge gathering tonight. Will you please come, Sirius?" Harry asked, walking over to his godfather. Sirius was looking much better, thanks to Dawny: his hair was clean and hung straight down his back, tied back with a leather strap so it looked like a shiny horse's tail; both he and his clothes were clean as well, and his clothes finally fit. Sirius stood as Harry approached him, and Harry noticed that Sirius had finally stopped wearing all black; his trousers were only slightly wrinkle black cloth, but his shirt was a pale green, and his black robes draped open over the outfit.

"You're looking well, me boyo," Sirius said outrageously as he embraced Harry, all the events of the year falling away.

"Yah, marriage agrees with me."

Sirius smacked Harry uplongside his head.

"Ya got Ginny pregnant?!"

AN: 'Addo Recordatio' and 'Ad Solum' were been created by ladykyo/ Brenna of the separate-sisters. Please do not use them without emailing and asking permission, thank you.

BTW: 'Ikki' is pronounced 'Eek kee' ladykyo/ Brenna is also a japanophile.

Ginny is not preggers. I just thought it would be funny for Sirius to assume that the only way Harry would get married would be if he got Ginny pregnant.

Love, Brenna of the separatesisters/ ladykyo


	12. Call and Answer

Every Time We Touch 

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

notes: Bill and Charlie aren't actually at the celebration . . . they are to far away to make it . . . and I'm so lazy, I decided it was easier than having to add two other points of view for me to think from

**Chapter 12: Call and Answer**

**_Call and Answer, _Barenaked Ladies**

**_I think it's getting to the point where I can be myself again_**

**_I think it's getting to the point where we have almost made amends_**

_**I think it's the getting to the point that is the hardest part**_

Harry and Sirius got back to the Shrieking Shack in enough time to help out with the last few details of the celebration. Harry had performed a bruise-reducing spell on himself a number of times that day, after finally managing to explain the hasty wedding to Sirius. Harry dreaded how it would have felt to sit through a dinner and join in the pursuing carousing if he hadn't performed the spells. Between Hermione's 'hit the floor' spell, Ginny's mean punches, and the overzealous Ron and Sirius, Harry would have been just as happy to retire to the Hospital Wing at Hogwart's for the night.

Harry and Sirius had apparated into Hogsmead so Sirius could get himself of Madam Rosmerta's pale rose ale, which Harry had heard from his friends was the best around. Sirius had offered to wait outside while Harry ordered a few barrels, but Harry insisted he come along.

"By the way, Sirius, why did you assume I got Ginny pregnant?" Harry asked evenly. "Everyone seems to think that."

"I figured that's the only way you'd get married before you defeated Voldemort. You have been quite single-minded about that, and Ginny looked like she was beginning to despair of ever getting you to the altar," Sirius said with a smirk.

"How would you know? You've been holed up at the house at Grimmauld Place."

"Ah, but Ginny hasn't. Who do you think had to comfort her when she would run off after you said something particularly insensitive? I got to know Ginny well, and you should thank me that she didn't completely give up on you. Now that we've discussed things, there's no need for me to go into the tavern, is there?"

"Sirius, we have to get these barrels outside before we can apparate them to the house. And that conversation would have happened anyway. Hermione is expecting the ale sooner rather than later, so I suggest you do as I say unless you'd care to explain why the ale is late to Hermione?" Harry said, raising his eyebrows.

Sirius sighed and followed Harry into the pub. The dinner rush had yet to begin, so Madam Rosmerta was talking with a new waitress, Kyrie, a young, comely girl who was engaged to a young wizard finishing his apprenticeship to the local wand-crafter. Madam Rosmerta was explaining the different specials of the night to Kyrie, who was ticking everything off on her fingers so she could remember them for later.

"Harry, the lady proprietor is busy, so perhaps we should just ask one of her beer boys?" Sirius asked, keeping his face close to the door.

"She's expecting us, Sirius. What are you so worried about? You are a free, innocent man. It's almost as if you're afraid of Roz," Harry laughed, grabbing Sirius and dragging him over to the counter so Madam Rosmerta would notice them.

Kyrie noticed the men first and curtsied to them, smiling before she scurried off to the kitchen. Madam Rosmerta turned and opened her mouth when she went pale and very quiet.

"Sirius?" she said in a whisper. "You're back?"

"Ah, yes, Madam Proprietor, I am here with young Mr. Potter to pick up your soon to be world famous pale rose ale," Sirius said just as quietly. Harry shot him a look, but said nothing.

"But you're free, now, and everyone knows it. You've come back for good, right?" Roz's face lit up as Sirius nodded. She walked over to him quickly, standing before him and gazing up into his eyes. "You've come back for me?"

Harry's eyebrows rose so high at that point that it looked as if they were trying to fly away. "Have you come back for Roz, Sirius?"

Sirius placed his hands on Rosmerta's shoulders. He looked into her eyes before he pulled her in close for a hug. "I should say so."

"Well, Roz, care to join us at the Shrieking Shack for a night of carousing and really strange revelations?" Harry sighed, seeing why his godfather had been so intractable about coming out of his self-induced exile.

Rosmerta was crying into Sirius's shoulder while Sirius kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back comfortingly. Rosmerta was completely unaware of Harry's question, so Sirius just nodded.

One of Rosmerta's 'beer boys' poked his head out of the liquor cellar to check on his mistress.

"Roz," Ignatius Hornbell poked his head out of the cellar, "D'you wants me an' the boys to round up the kegs for Potter?"

Sirius looked at the taller, blonde man addressing Rosmerta, remembering him from their shared days at Hogwart's. He harrumphed as he addressed the other man. "Still sniffing around my girl, Iggy, ol' boy?" Sirius sneered.

"You've come back just to hurt her again, haven't you, Sirius? And you accuse me of hitting on 'your girl'. You left, Sirius, not me. Don't blame me because you left her here. Now let go of her, leave, and I won't make any bigger fuss about it. We've got something good going here," Ignatius snarled at Sirius, coming fully out of the cellar and talking to Sirius over Rosmerta's head.

Sirius pulled back slightly from Rosmerta as she flinched at the sound of Ignatius's voice. She refused to meet Sirius's eyes, and he silently asked Harry if they had the time to sort this out. Harry nodded and palmed his wand in the event that Ignatius got violent.

Sirius spoke softly to Rosmerta. "Roz, have you and Ignatius got anything between you? If you do, tell me and I'll let you be. If not, would you mind terribly if I rearranged his face the muggle way? I always hated how tried to use you."

Ignatius's face grew redder as Rosmerta stood silent before she responded. "Sirius, all that is between the two of us is this tavern. I have kept him on after my parents died simply because they asked me too. I would give up this tavern and go anywhere with you, if you but asked me to. But don't rearrange his face. He tried some things, but I set him straight I've been waiting all this time for you to come back for me."

Sirius pulled his school sweetheart back into his embrace before he spoke to his former competitor. "Iggy, you lose. But thanks for keeping an eye on her for all these years. Now, where is that ale you were speaking about?"

_**And if you call**_

_**I will answer**_

_**And if you fall**_

_**I'll pick you up**_

_**And if you court this disaster**_

_**I'll point you home**_

After the encounter with Ignatius, Harry was full of questions that he knew he had to wait to ask. Sirius and Rosmerta were busy filling one another in about the last years while Sirius was imprisoned, on the run, and in his self-imposed exile. Harry listened intently while helping to fill any gaps of information. Rosmerta was a relatively new member of the Order, and while she knew more than Draco and Lavender, she didn't know nearly as much as Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the inner fold.

"So, Harry," Sirius asked, holding Rosmerta's hand as if it would break, "Will Neville be there as well? I wanted to speak to him about how brave he was at the Department of Mysteries. His parents would have been terribly proud. So would yours, Harry," he finished delicately.

"I don't know. No one mentioned him, but I assume that because of his new position we should expect him," Harry said, savoring the looks on both Sirius and Rosmerta's faces.

"What position would that be, Harry?" Rosmerta asked.

"Assistant Head of Herbology here at Hogwart's. He went through almost all the Auror training before he was asked to come back to Hogwart's and help out Professor Sprout. She's getting on in years, and wanted to partially retire; when she approached McGonagall, she called Tonks, who unceremoniously dumped old Neville on Hogwart's doorstep with everything he needed to get started. He's been training under Sprout since beginning of the semester, and he has all the first- and second-year classes. Sprout said he'd start with third-years after the mid-year exams."

"Splendid," Rosmerta said. "So I can count on all you lot coming in and keeping me in business?"

Harry laughed as Sirius gave Rosmerta a mock-glare.

"So long as Ignatius keeps to himself," he growled.

The trio chatted and laughed as they made their way up the walk to the porch of the Shrieking Shack, where the barrels of ale were waiting. Rosmerta fussed over her appearance as well as Sirius's while Harry waited rather impatiently for them to be ready to go in. When Rosmerta nodded, he apparated the barrels in, which triggered someone to rush over and open the front door.

Ron was the one who opened the door, and his jaw dropped at the sight of Harry standing there with his godfather, who was busily staring down the bodice of the tavern-mistress's dress.

"Bloody brilliant, Harry! You got Sirius to come to an Order celebration. Does he know what we're celebrating? And should she?" Ron motioned to Rosmerta, who gave him a glowering look in answer. "Guess not to the first and ya to the second. Well, come in. 'Mione and Ginny are driving me nuts, and lets not even begin discussing Tonks. When she's not barking orders at me, she's trying to snog Lupin to death."

"That would be an interesting experiment," Rosmerta said dreamily.

"What's that?" Harry asked, turning back to face her as he entered the house.

"I wonder if I could accidentally snog Sirius to death?"

Harry and Ron shared an 'ugh. gross.' look as they entered the house and made way for Sirius and his, erhm, date. Sirius closed the door behind them, which although polite, was unfortunate, because Neville had decided to come. And he followed Harry, Rosmerta, and Sirius, right behind them, which ended up in him getting clocked on the nose when Sirius tried to shut the door without looking.

"Bloody, man! Watch out for who's coming in when you shut the door!" Neville displayed an inordinate amount of temper for the typically kind and unflappable young professor. "Sorry for the outburst, but that bloody hurt. Good to see that you came, though, old man." Neville clapped Sirius on the back and blushed when he saw the buxom tavern mistress on Sirius's arm. "Roz," he blurted, before catching a look from Harry.

"Hello, Neville. Are you okay?" Rosmerta was trying not to laugh at the young man's discomfort. Neville had a crush on Roz when he had been at school, but a certain dreamy-eyed Ravenclaw had cured it and right quick, too. "How's Luna adjusting to being the wife of the next Head of Herbology at Hogwart's?"

"Just fine, but she's not here for the time being. Her father's in a bad way, so she's had to take over most of his duties at the Quibbler. It'll be hers when he's gone, you know? Everyone is getting used to her being in charge including me, if you know what I mean."

As he watched his friends join and share stories about their marriages, kids, engagements, and other various things associated with boy-people, girl-people, rings, and vows, Ron realized that Hermione was watching all their friends just as intently and with a melancholy look on her face. Ron pushed his own bad feelings to the side and walked over to his girlfriend, putting his arms around her.

"Hermione," he whispered so only she could hear, "We'll have that someday soon. But I want everything to be perfect. Can you be patient and still love me?" he kissed her ear lightly before he led her into the kitchen, where some house-elves on loan from Hogwart's were finishing up the food preparation.

"I love you, Ron," Hermione said, her eyes misty, "And I know what you're saying. The time will come. And I'll have a very interesting proposition for you when it does. Now help me plate the appetizers almost everyone is here, and we're all hungry."

Ron just stared at his love and did as she said. Besides, he might as well get used to it, like Neville said.

_**I'll point you home**_

The preparations went off without a hitch. Hermione had charmed the small coffee and end tables into grand banquet tables and benches, laden with sweets and savories for the celebration. Lupin and Tonks decorated the rooms they would be using for the food and partying with a few flicks of their wands, covering the rooms with little flames that weren't really burning, airy streamers, and confetti that looked as if it had been made of silver and diamonds. All went well until Lupin tried to surprise his Auror girlfriend with a kiss and ended up covered in the confetti, looking, for all intents and purposes, like a giant, over-decorated gingerbread man.

Tonks was laughing too hard to help, so Lavender snapped her wand towards the beloved professor, fixing the problem. The rest of the night, however, every time Remus burped or coughed, he ended up spewing silver confetti.

Draco busied himself with the ale barrels, along with Harry and Ron. They set up the barrels of the different ales; they had Roz's new pale rose ale, butterbeer, and Sirius's favorite dragon ale, which had just as much if not more fire in it than firewhiskey. Harry got out a few bottles of firewhiskey while Draco and Ron tapped a barrel each of the different ales. This is not too say everyone was planning on getting snockered into next week; there were going to be a lot of people, and that much alcohol can only go so far.

Hermione and Ginny were taking care of the last of the food preparation. Soon, a few house-elves would be arriving to finish the food and serve it. Hermione still had opinions about house-elf labor, but at least now she realized that a life of labor was the life house-elves desired: the worked for a family who fed, clothed, and housed them, which is more than others.

Sirius and Rosmerta were busy talking in a corner, renewing their 'acquaintance'. Harry checked on his beloved godfather quite frequently, afraid he'd run back to his self-imposed exile at any moment, but it would seem that Rosmerta's presence negated that need.

Around 7 o'clock, Hermione came up to Harry and Ron, who were playing Exploding Snap by one of the fireplaces.

"Ron, your parents and brothers are here. Harry, I think we need to get this thing started. Your guests of honor will be here on their own time-table. The fact is, everyone is hungry. So, up and up, let's get to the party!" Hermione was smiling as she finished, and Ron just gave his best mate a shoulder shrug.

"They'll be here, mate. Give'em some time I'm sure they're 'busy'," Ron laughed, ducking as Harry swiped at him.

"That was really gross, Ron. How would like it if I started talking about your parents like that? I bet you never even wondered why your parents' room was on a different floor from you and your siblings' rooms," Harry laughed as Ron turned green. "Come on man, show some starch! Let's go before Hermione comes back and drags us by the ear into the other room.

"Too late!"

_**You think I only think about you when we're both in the same room**_

_**I'm only here to witness the remains of love exhumed**_

_**You think we're here to play a game of who loves more than whom**_

The festivities were well underway, and everyone was enjoying themselves, except Harry. He kept looking at the door, expecting his grandparents to appear at any moment. Ginny had planted herself on his lap, and was discussing her future with the Auror program with Tonks.

"So, what are the requirements for my final test to get into the program?" Ginny said, licking her fingers clean. She had been eating Sticky Murgle Puffs, and she wanted to get rid of the sticky, grainy feeling their salty coating left on her fingers.

"High marks in Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms. You should also prove proficiency in Herbology how else would you know what plants to use in counter-potions and as safeguards?" Tonks said as Ginny wrinkled her nose at the mention of Herbology.

Ginny turned her gaze on Neville, batting her eyelashes, "Oh, Professor"

Neville just laughed. "And you'd explain to Luna, right?"

Ginny paled. "Nope, just do you have any suggestions for outside reading?"

Everyone laughed at that point. Luna had always been strange but quiet, but since her marriage to Neville, she was a hawk guarding her prey: no woman with designs on her husband got very close to him without regretting it. Ginny had just been joking, but Luna didn't always see things so philosophically.

"And why are you more worried about what Luna would do than what I would do?" Harry asked.

"Because we figure with Ginny's 'condition', you wouldn't do anything to her," Neville said, returning his attention to his plate.

"WHY does everyone assume I must have got Ginny pregnant?" Harry roared, hiding his face in his wife's back.

"You didn't?" Remus asked.

"No! Bloody hell, we got married because we're in love and we don't want to wait and possibly die fighting Voldemort!" Harry screamed, tired of explaining himself.

"That's quite right, my boy. Your grandmother and I felt quite the same," Albus Dumbledore said, escorting Minerva in ahead of him.

"So nice that you finally just came out and said that. Now, aren't you going to introduce us?" Minerva said, putting her considerably less wrinkled hand on Harry's shoulder, leaning down and kissing him.

"Grandparents?" Tonks squeaked, turning her gaze to Remus. "Did you know?"

_**And if you call**_

_**I will answer**_

_**And if you fall**_

_**I'll pick you up**_

_**And if you court this disaster**_

_**I'll point you home**_

It took Harry and his grandparents quite a while to explain everything. By the time they were finished, it was well past 11 o'clock, and everyone was tired, not to mention suffering from a headache due to the logic they had to employ to understand everything.

"So, you two are married and the birth parents of Remus and Sirius's dead best friend, James?" Tonks asked for the fourth time.

Albus nodded, his arm around his wife. They were seated on the couch next to Harry and Ginny, and they were mimicking the younger couple's pose. Albus was leaning back against the back of the couch while Minerva perched prettily on his lap.

"And you look so young because you were young when you had James, and figuring in the extended aging process you end up only looking like 50 year old muggles?" Draco said unbelievingly.

"Yes, Draco, something like that," Minerva smile, her hand on her own grandson's knee. Ginny leaned back and accidentally sat on Minerva's hand. She shrieked and jumped up, causing everyone to laugh and therefore breaking the tension.

"I think we need to clear a few things up as well," Arthur Weasley said, rising from his seat next to his own wife.

_**I'll point you home**_

"This is something you would come to find out on your own, but I might as well explain this to you now," Mr. Weasley said in his best fatherly voice. "The reason wizards and witches live apart from muggles is that we really do age quite differently.

"Around the time we're about 25- 30 years old, the aging of our appearances slows considerably; that is, at 60 years old, we look much like a muggle entering, perhaps, his late twenties. Because of the wizards born to muggles, an elaborate charm system goes into place when wizards have children. Part of that charm system fades as the children age, so that no-one is too surprised when they realize everything. Molly and I look virtually the same now as when we had Percy. Bill and Charlie are just beginning to notice because they are coming to that age in their lives."

"So, basically, you charm yourselves to look older so that the kids who expect you to look older aren't scared witless when you seemingly don't age? This entire thing is done in such a way that we don't notice until it just becomes normal or what we expect?" Hermione chirped.

"Yes, rather. But I would think that our Hermione would have guessed that quite a while ago," Mrs. Weasley beamed.

"Well, someone needs to rethink those charms of yours you still don't look old enough, compared to your muggle counterparts," Hermione said, rising from her seat, next to Ron, to walk over to a bookshelf.

Ron grabbed Hermione's wrist before she got too far, however. "Hermione, there's time enough for that tomorrow. You have more important things to do right now. Like give me a kiss," Ron waggled his eyebrows suggestively in her direction, and Hermione gave him a great big kiss, followed by the ruckus of applause and 'oooooohs' from their friends and family.

"So, Ronald, old boy, now that we've given Ginny away, we'll be happy to do that for you any day now," Fred said, pretending to wipe a tear away.

"Yes, we're so worried about your fragile chastity we know how hard Hermione's been on you about that," George piped in, and earned himself a scowl from his mum.

"By the way, boys, tomorrow I'd like to have a word with each of you. How could you let my baby get married without me there!" Mrs. Weasley wailed, clutching her twin boys in mock despair.

The discussions and laughter began to die down around 1 am, but there was one more matter of business

_**You think its only fair to do what's best for you and you alone**_

_**It's only fair to do the same to me when you're not home**_

_**I think it's time to make this something that is more than only fair**_

Draco swallowed hard before he stood, leaning the drowsing Lavender against the back of the loveseat they were occupying.

He leaned down and brushed a kiss against her temple, waking her.

"Time to wake up, love. You want to be awake for this, I promise."

Lavender shot Draco a dirty look before she straightened in her seat, arranging her pale lavender top over her now-constantly growing breasts. She knew they'd have to say something soon. "Alright, alright, I'm awake. Is everyone else?"

"Now they are," Draco said as he flicked his wand and a loud crack woke up those guest who were dozing in their seats. "I have an announcement to make.

"As you may have already guessed, Lavender is expecting a child my child, as a matter of fact. We're about 6 months along. We have done our best to keep this under wraps, but I can tell that we haven't done a very good job of it," he said, half-smiling at Lavender, as her eyes met his. She turned her face down, gazing at the floor.

Lavender spoke so softly that everyone in the room had to stop whispering so they could hear her. "Trust me, this was not planned. But when I found out I was pregnant, I was so happy I knew that no matter what happened between Draco and me, I would want his child. I know that none of you have reason to love me, or Draco, but we're members of the Order now, and we are a part of the fold. I hope our child will experience the same inclusion we have."

Hermione left Ron where he was and threw herself on the floor in front of Lavender, hugging the other girl with all her might. "Of course Lavender! I forgave you long ago, and I think we all have you to thank for the humanization of Draco. You're as much a part of the extended family as everyone here."

Draco put his hand on Lavender's shoulder as he continued to speak. "Hermione, go back over with Ron. Needless to say, you're in my way."

Hermione looked at Draco before she got up off her knees and went back to Ron, settling down next to him to see what was going on.

"Lavender, I know you heard me talking in my sleep. I wanted to tell my mother that I was in love with you ever since I knew it myself. She's been gone for too long, and I realize now that I couldn't have done anything about it. But I can do something about us, Lav, and I plan on doing something soon," Draco said, getting down on his knees in front of Lavender.

"Draco, you don't have to do this. Let's just go to bed, darling, alright? We'll talk tomorrow," Lavender said, trying to rise from her seat.

Draco put a hand on each of Lavender's knees, sliding his hands up her thighs and holding her down in her chair. He leaned his forehead down on one of Lavender's knees before he pulled his head back to look into Lavender's eyes.

Lavender ran her hands through Draco's hair, mussing it back away from his face. He turned and pressed a kiss into her hands before he spoke.

"Lavender, marry me. I don't care when, before the baby comes or after I don't care when, but say you'll marry me. Help me carry on my name. Help me be more human," Draco smiled.

Lavender just nodded, pulling Draco off his knees and into her arms.

Ginny smirked along with Harry. Fred and George started making dirty jokes, which earned them stern looks from Tonks and Remus. Albus and Minerva just gazed on the young couple while Molly and Arthur looked at one another before rising and going over to Draco and Lavender.

"Draco, your mother was a good woman before your father got to her. If you ask us, all the enmity is erased, and you are family," Molly hugged Draco and Lavender, dropping a kiss on their foreheads. "Let me help with the planning?"

_**So if you call**_

_**I will answer**_

_**And if you fall**_

_**I'll pick you up**_

_**And if you court this disaster**_

_**I'll point you home**_

Everyone drifted off to bed not long after Draco's proposal. Hermione had had the foresight to make up the extra rooms and the couches in the main living room. Hermione and Ron retired to their own room, as did Harry and Ginny and Draco and Lavender. The other bedrooms went to the other adult couples, which meant that Fred, George and Neville had to share the living room. Sirius and Rosmerta took the basement rooms, along with Remus and Tonks, because they planned to stay up through the night reminiscing.

Draco led Lavender up to their room, speaking softly to her as they climbed the stairs. Lavender was rather quiet, and she just smiled as Draco began to outline their coming life together.

Harry and Ginny walked with Albus and Minerva as the older couple made their way to their room for the night. They all said their goodnights at the door, and Ginny led her husband to their room, promising lots of dirty things that would have curled the grandparents' hair.

Molly and Arthur Weasley spoke with the twins for a while before they went upstairs with Hermione and Ron. They all hung out, talking on the landing before Hermione declared she was too tired to do anything else, and went to bed. Molly also decided to go to bed, and wanted to check on her youngest before she retired for the night, so she headed towards Harry and Ginny's room.

And then there were two.

_**But I'm warning you**_

_**Don't ever do **_

_**Those crazy messed up things that you do **_

_**Cause if you ever do **_

_**I promise you**_

_**I'll be there first to crucify you**_

Ron looked at his father after Hermione and Molly left. He waited for his father to speak; Ron had no idea what was going on, but he could tell by how his father was fidgeting that he had something important to say.

"I can't stand it! What do you feel the need to say, Dad?" Ron finally half-shouted in irritation.

Arthur was startled by Ron's outburst, but he smiled. "I wanted to talk to you about Hermione, Ron. She deserves better than this, you know. Waiting on you, watching her best friends get married, and her rival get engaged. I'm not saying you should jump the gun, but talk to her. Don't let her get away, Ron. Perhaps you should listen to your sister and newest brother: it is better to do while you can than regret after you can't."

_**Now it's time to prove**_

_**That you've come back here to rebuild**_

Ron crept into bed silently that night, and curled himself around Hermione's still body. He leaned over her to kiss her temple, and he saw the tear-tracks that his own actions had led to.

That night, Hermione wasn't the only one to cry her self to sleep.


	13. The Space Between

**Every Time We Touch**

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

**Chapter 13: The Space Between**

**_The Space Between_, Dave Matthews Band**

_**You cannot quit me so quickly  
Is no hope in you for me  
No corner you could squeeze me  
But I got all the time for you, love**_

Early the next morning, Remus Lupin crawled out of bed so quietly his girlfriend, Nymphadora Tonks, didn't even stir. He barely whispered to his wand as he flicked it, and a small spark flew out of the room, heading for Sirius Black. In the dim early morning hours, Sirius crawled out from under the covers he had shared with his sweetheart Rosmerta and said a spell that sent a spark off to Fred and George Weasley, who in turn sparked Ron Weasley. The five men met outside the Shrieking Shack in the early-morning dark, and they had much to do that day.

Lupin spoke first. "We're to meet Shacklebolt at the dodgy end of the road leading out of Hogsmead, in the No-Name Taverna. He has our location and directive. We're trying to track down a horcrux we may be able to turn to our own advantage. Follow me; we're going out of town and re-entering at the dodgy end."

Lupin turned and led his troops into the woods, bypassing a few rogue Dryads; it was that time of year, and they really couldn't afford to be kept by a bunch of horny nearly immortal nubile females. Besides, what would their respective girls say? Sirius groused about the trip, but Ron and his brothers were uncharacteristically silent.

"Lupin, why are all three of us going on this trip? I thought Dumbledore was clear that no more than two in any family were to go on any mission together?" Ron finally said when they were a good distance from the Shrieking Shack.

"No time for explanations now, Ron. Ah, turn right here and we'll begin the trek back to town. Keep to yourselves and be ready to split up in case people start to stare or put things together," Lupin said, dismissing Ron's question. Ron glared at his former professor's back, but he continued to hike behind him.

George came up on one side of Ron, and Fred on the other. George spoke, and Fred nodded in agreement. "Ron, we don't know why we're all on this trip, either, but if the decision came from within the Order, we have to trust it. Besides, we're the only family with so many people; McGonagall came up with that rule to protect us, and Fred and I are pretty sure that the missions recently and the people on them have sparked interest and some amount of spite in the other families."

"Yeah, plus, we three are some of the best in the Order; take it as a compliment," Fred added, trying to lighten the mood. Close as they were to one another, the twins had also always been close to Ron. "Beside, the three of us are unmarried. You wouldn't expect them to drag Harry away from his new wife, or Draco from his expectant fiancée."

Ron mentally kicked himself. He was sure Hermione wouldn't see it that way: she would be convinced that Ron had insisted on going on the mission, to get away from her and buy himself some more time. After his discussion with his father the previous night, Ron had rethought what he was doing. Damned if I do, damned if I don't, Ron thought to himself, trudging through the sodden grass and dead underbrush as the came upon the dodgy end of Hogsmead.

"Remus, are you sure this is the dodgy end? Because I'm sure the dodgy end is a damn bloody understatement," Sirius growled at his last best friend. Lupin shot him the Look and Sirius shot his own right back. Lupin sighed and nodded, and Sirius shook his head.

"D'you get all that?" Fred whisper to George.

"Yeah, I think Lupin's late and Sirius wants him to take a test," George said in his best stage whisper.

"If you lot don't stop blathering our time away, the MLE is going to need a test to figure out who you were in life," Sirius growled, and both Fred and George smirked at him.

"Ah, you bloody arses have spent too much time with Malfoy; now you're smirking like'im, too," Ron said in disgust.

"Shut up!" Lupin roared, and all four men Ron, Fred, George, and Sirius shut their mouths and froze in their tracks. Lupin continued. "I told you we are trying to keep out of suspicion. That means be quiet and do as I say. The No-Name Taverna is directly ahead. Follow me and when we get inside, keep an eye out for Shacklebolt. If you cause me to stop and lecture you again, all three of you will spend the next full moon with me and I. Won't. Eat. Before. Any questions?"

All four men shook their heads and followed the werewolf somewhat meekly. Actually, they quite looked like a ragtag bunch of ducklings following their mum. The entered the tavern and saw Kingsley Shacklebolt sitting in a booth eating bangers and mash as if they were going out of style.

Lupin led his troop of not-so-merry men to the booth Shacklebolt was occupying and they all sat, waiting for him to swallow and fill them in about their mission. After approximately three minutes of listening to Shacklebolt chew, Lupin cleared his throat. The older Auror continued to eat until Sirius stepped in.

Sirius's hand shot out and grabbed the banger from Shacklebolt midway between plate and mouth. "Shacklebolt! Why are we here at this god-awful hour, or shall I go furry on you?"

Shacklebolt batted Sirius's hand away from his food and cleared his throat. "This is an important mission, one that Harry couldn't know about, and Draco couldn't deal with: his father is still alive, and must be stopped by any means possible before he helps Pettigrew renew Voldemort's strength."

Ron's face went redder than his hair. "You knew, and you've waited how long to tell us this?"

"What, with Dumbledore being gone and all," Shacklebolt started, and Fred and George pulled their wands. "I figured it'd be best to bring the information to you and let you sort it all out."

Ron looked from Sirius and Lupin, who were giving fine impressions of believing the man to his own brothers, who were telling him silently to keep the man speaking.

"Fine. Sorry, I just miss the man, Kingsley. Shame he's gone, innit?" Ron said, palming his own wand as the impostor seemed to swell at his supposed successful deception.

"Of course, Ron; and to be killed by that traitor after all he'd done for Snape," the impostor continued, eating again in his security.

"So, where are we supposed to go?" Ron asked innocently, giving off the air of naivete he had back when he'd been training under the real Shackleboolt.

"Greater Bollshed, to the Abandoned Manor," the impostor said, smiling broadly.

Lupin and Sirius both nodded before they pulled their wands on the impostor.

"Retornam Imagem!" they shouted, and a bolt of light exploded, leaving Peter Pettigrew where the fake Shacklebolt had been sitting and eating. Mothers took their children and ran from the taverna while girls fainted and men raised their wands to fight the most cowardly traitor of them all. Pettigrew reached out and grabbed Ron's arm in his silver hand when Sirius attacked him.

Sirius reached for Pettigrew's neck and was starting to strangle him when Remus caught him and dragged him off the smaller man. In the hustle, Pettigrew had grabbed a discarded wand and was aiming for Ron, who had managed to wriggle out from Pettigrew's grip when Sirius was strangling him. Ron was about to get a hex off on Pettigrew when

"He can't win if you and the muggle bitch aren't there to help him!" Pettigrew said, raising the wand as it began to glow. "Ava"

"Avada Kedavra!" the twins' voices rang out, but Pettigrew apparated with a POP! before the curses could hit him. They fizzled as they hit a harmless potted plant, and the twins turned to Ron.

"You just aren't popular, are you?" George said, putting a hand on Ron's shoulder, taking a good long look at him.

"Spiders and basilisks and deranged animagus, oh my, Ron. Let's not tell Mum, alright?" Fred said, and both twins threw their arms around Ron.

"So you two do have affection for me, do you?" Ron said, fighting for breath in his brothers' embrace.

"That, too, but more than that, Hermione. She'd kill us."

_**The Space Between  
The tears we cry  
Is the laughter keeps us coming back for more**_

Lupin and Sirius were deep in conversation at the back of the taverna when Ron and the twins decided to get the older men and leave. Fred and George were coming down from the adrenaline high of casting the Killing Curse, and both were more than a little upset that not only had they missed, the curse hadn't even done too much damage; had it connected with Pettigrew, he'd have only felt twinges.

Ron was nursing some bruises from Pettigrew's attack. The metal hand was more powerful than he'd thought it would be. He was looking forward to Hermione catching a look at the damage; blood had been draw from the soft skin of his inner wrist. Ron wasn't worried about the injury so much as the fact that Pettigrew now had his blood to work with; any tracing or dark magick would work better if the casting wizard or witch had the target's blood to work with.

Lupin and Sirius were still arguing when Ron spoke up.

"We need to figure out if Lucius is still around and a problem," Ron said, holding his wrist to his body, shielding it. "And I think we have another problem: Pettigrew drew blood."

"Shit," Sirius cursed, grabbing Ron's arm roughly, "And you an Auror! Don't they teach you anything anymore?! You should know that you never give up blood!"

"Well I didn't exactly invite him to the buffet, did I, Sirius? Instead of yelling at me, you need to help me come up with a way to combat whatever Pettigrew can do with the advantage."

Remus stepped between Ron and Sirius. Sirius was Harry's godfather, Ron Harry's best friend, and each would gladly slug the other to ensure Harry's safety.

"Ron, what Sirius is saying in his rather obtuse way is that you need to be more alert; Pettigrew was right: without you and Hermione, Harry won't be able to defeat Voldemort. Sirius, Ron is doing to responsible thing. At his age, in his position, you would have hidden the wound so James wouldn't have had to worry over you, and that would have gotten everyone killed," Remus said tiredly. He should have never agreed to the meeting without running more exhaustive charms to make sure it would be safe. Ultimately, he felt it was his fault that Ron had been hurt and Pettigrew had blood to use.

"We are heading back to the Shrieking Shack for the time being. We need to regroup and see what Albus and Minerva have to say. The fact that Pettigrew has been able to trick us like that suggests that either he's grown in skill or strength, which I highly doubt, or someone else is helping him," Lupin finished, looking at his motley crew of disgruntled wizards.

"So, do you think his helper is Lucius?" Fred said to George as they dropped back behind their brother and the older men.

"No. It has to be Chang and her fellows," George said. "Katie and Angelina always said there was something about the girl."

"Maybe we should contact them," Fred said wistfully, thinking about his girlfriend.

"I don't know. They're not members of the Order, and I don't want to put them in any more danger than necessary," George said, his eyes guarded.

"And neither do I, but to bring them into the Order would be to offer them a chance to learn to defend themselves," Fred argued, his voice getting louder.

"Let's talk with Bill and Charlie before we do anything else," George offered, putting his hand on his twins shoulder. The two nodded and continued with the rest of the group.

Ron eyed them warily, wondering what exactly they had been discussing. He had heard the words 'Katie', 'Angelina', 'Chang' and 'the Order', but he hoped that his older brothers would think before they brought in their girlfriends. Neither twin was an Auror, even though they could have been, had they finished Hogwart's, but Ron and Hermione's position was different. They were still junior Aurors in the eyes of the Ministry of Magic, but they had more experience combined than a lot of the supposed senior Aurors, not to mention they could only trust the Aurors in the Order itself. He looked forward to talking with Bill and Charlie, hoping they would shed some light on the situation.

However, Ron had other, bigger problems to worry about: he was injured, and Hermione would have his head for it, and he didn't want to consider the possibility of her in cahoots with his mother and sister. He shivered at the thought.

When the five men finally got back to the Shrieking Shack, Lupin and Sirius headed in through the back door so they could take the stairs immediately up to the room where Tonks and the other older members of the Order would be while Fred and George followed into Ron in through the front door.

Hermione was sitting on a couch with Ginny, who was holding her best friend while Harry and Draco paced; Lavender was nowhere to be found, and Severus Snape was sitting in the shadows, occasionally tossing an insult at Harry or Draco.

"I cannot believe that in the final months leading up to the Last Battle you actually were stupid enough to get Lavender pregnant," Severus hissed at Draco, who rolled his eyes.

"And you were stupid enough to get my mother pregnant on her wedding night, which led her to be beaten by my father continually as I grew to look more like her everyday, yet my eyes have a black tint that was never in either the Black or Malfoy line. Your turn, Da," Draco said, tossing his somewhat-bastard status back into his birth-father's face.

"Had your mother turned from Lucius and returned to me, things would have been quite different," Severus said, standing and looming over his son. "Besides, you should be glad you got the Snape height from me. If you had been a real Malfoy, you'd be at least half a head shorter."

"And if she'd come to you I'd never have been able to work with you to accomplish the things we have," Draco hissed, his eyes flashing black as he stood his ground against his father.

"Enough! At least you have your son," Harry growled at Snape, "And you have your father. If you've forgotten, I have a single album of photos of both parents. And on top of that, how are we going to deal with your presence, Snape? You are supposed to be on the lamb."

"Knock it off, all of you! We haven't heard from Ron, or the twins, or Remus or Sirius, and you're playing one-up!" Hermione yelled, effectively silencing the three men in the middle of the room. Ginny nodded and was about to add her own two cents when Ron cleared his throat.

"Ahem; Hermione, we had meeting this morning, one we had to make. Unfortunately, the meeting was a hoax, and" Ron said, but he was cut off when Hermione crushed her mouth over his.

When Hermione finally pulled back, she slapped Ron, hard. "You could have at least nudged me awake and let me know you were leaving! I woke up and you weren't there Ron, we are in a war, and if I expect you to be someplace and you're not there, what am I to expect?"

Ron looked to Fred and George, who remained unhelpfully silent; Ron sensed that there were many reasons that Katie and Angelina weren't in the Order. He would talk with them later.

Ginny finally piped up.

"Ron, what happened to your wrist?"

_**The Space Between  
The wicked lies we tell  
And hope to keep us safe from the pain**_

Hermione took her arms from around Ron's neck and regarded him carefully. She took her wrist in her hands and looked at it carefully.

"It looks as if the skin was actually torn apart, not sliced or scratched open. What happened at the meeting, Ron?" Hermione asked, and she tightened her grip on Ron's arm as she did so.

"I think I'd rather defer under Bill and Charlie can be contacted and get here," Ron said uneasily, shifting his weight from one foot to the other in his discomfort. Hermione's grip was almost as strong as Pettigrew's metal hand.

"Well, you're in luck, Ron," Severus said. "Tonks sent word to me and the rest of the loyal Weasley clan and I arrived shortly before Bill and Charlie did. When Tonks awoke to find Lupin missing, it was the first thing she did. I assume that with your return, Charlie has finished comforting her and passed her off to Lupin so he and Bill can come down here to check and make sure I haven't killed any of you."

Ron groaned. "Then can I take a nap before I fill you all in?"

Bill and Charlie apparated in as Ron said that, and along with everyone else in the room save Fred and George, said, "NO!"

"Sit down, Ron and fill us in before Mum comes down to check on us," Bill said tiredly. Fleur must be somewhere around, as she was a member of the Order and Bill never left her alone for fear of her being hurt or kidnapped.

Ginny frowned at her brothers before she turned to Severus. "Professor, you said 'loyal Weasley' before. Percy wasn't in the fold, but surely he and Penelope"

Charlie shot Severus a look and spoke himself. "You don't need to worry about Percy and Penelope. You can be sure that they secured their own necks."

"What are you saying, Charlie?" Ginny breathed, rising from the couch and drifting over to Harry, her hand seeking his for the comfort she'd find there.

"What your brother is prancing around saying is that no-one has any idea about whether Percy and his wife are dark wizards or good wizards who can't be bothered to help save the rest of us," Severus hissed. He and Charlie in particular didn't like one another, as Charlie had excelled in Potions, something Snape couldn't stomach, Charlie being a Weasley and a Gryffindor to boot.

"You don't have any right to speak like that about them. You were a bloody Deatheater, Severus, and don't think we're likely to forget that," Charlie growled, advancing on the older man. Severus braced himself to wait for the punch that didn't land.

"Enough! I have had enough of you all sniping at one another; Severus put himself in great danger to gain us information that we needed. Severus, you must learn to treat the Weasleys with the respect they deserve as our allies and the brave men and women they are. Any of the rest of you have grievances to bring forward?" Albus Dumbledore barreled into the room, eyes flashing. Minerva was right behind him, wand in hand and scowl on face.

"I think you need to tell them what we know about Percy and Penelope, Albus," Severus said, glaring at Bill and Charlie in turn.

Albus sighed. "Yes, Severus; but first I need to hear from Ron about what happened this morning."

All eyes turned to Ron, who coughed and looked to the floor.

"Pettigrew scratched me and possibly has enough blood to use against me," Ron said, letting his breath out slowly, waiting for everyone's reaction.

Hermione grabbed Ron's wrist while Ginny held on to Harry. The twins shared a look and were going to leave the room when Bill and Charlie each grabbed one of them. Fred and George stopped and waited.

"You know about this?" Bill said, picking Fred up and holding him at eye level.

"Were you going to tell us?" Charlie asked George, doing the same.

"Well, you dear, brothers dear," Fred began.

"It was darling Ron's story to tell. We're not a part of it," George finished.

"You're his older brothers! You should have sensed what was happening and protected him!" Bill roared, throwing Fred to the ground.

"We have to stick together, ands you two go on a mission with our youngest brother and Pettigrew gets his metal claw into him," Charlie hissed to George, dropping him unceremoniously next to Fred.

"Stop it! It's not their fault, Bill, Charlie. They tried to help, but Pettigrew had taken polyjuice or something, and he looked like Shacklebolt. It is no-one's fault, save Pettigrew's," Sirius came charging into the room, picking Fred and George up off the floor. "Now, Albus has something to share."

_**But will I hold you again?  
These fickle, fuddled words confuse me  
Like 'Will it rain today?'  
Waste the hours with talking, talking  
These twisted game we play**_

"Percy and Penelope have dropped off the grid, in muggle terms. We've already informed your parents," Albus said quietly, waiting for the facts to settle in. With Percy and Penelope out of sight, they could be foe or friend, dead or alive, free or captured. Ginny broke away from Harry and ran to her brothers, and Ron joined them. Hermione could only lean on Harry, neither one of them a Weasley by blood nor particularly fond of the nastiest, most anal-retentive Weasley.

"However, we are not assuming that they are enemy, but rather that they are neutral or completely uninvolved," Minerva added, trying to lessen the blow. Severus snorted, and she shot him a dirty glare. "We will keep all of you informed, of course."

Charlie and Bill detached their younger siblings from themselves and shook their heads.

"No. Charlie, Fleur and I will go after Percy and Penelope. If they are still friend, we'll bring them back unharmed if they wish or we'll relocate them for their safety. If they aren't, we'll bring them back for justice to be served," Bill said in a cold voice. He knew Percy had never fit into the family as well as he could have, distancing himself as his opinion of himself grew disproportionately to his opinion of his family.

Charlie gave Ginny a soft kiss on the cheek and turned to Bill. "Go get Fleur. I don't even have to pack."

Charlie and Bill bowed to the eldest wizards in the room before they left to get Fleur. Ginny cried softly into Ron's neck before Harry took her arms and held her gently, as if she would break. Hermione sat down on a couch and held her arms open to Ron, who gratefully sank down into them.

Albus shook his head while Minerva walked over to Severus. Sirius clapped a hand on Albus's shoulder before he left to go off on a mission of his own. Severus was shaking in anger and Minerva began speaking to him in a hurried whisper.

"Alright, Minerva," he said in an exasperated voice. "Weasley, come with me. I have to make a safeguarding potion. Granger, you as well, because my other best potions student just left. Potter and Potter," Severus grimaced at the idea of Harry married and breeding, "Stay here and be of use to someone else."

Hermione and Ron followed Severus carefully, aware that he was angry. They wouldn't know why until they reached the makeshift potions laboratory.

_**We're strange allies  
With warring hearts  
What wild-eyed beast you be**_

"Professor, what are you proposing to do about this?" Hermione asked as she gathered ingredients that she'd never used before. She trusted the older man implicitly, but she knew Ron didn't. Her question was for Ron's benefit as well as her own.

"I have a good idea about what Pettigrew will do with the blood he managed to get today. He will probably make a tracking potion of some sort, in order to find us when we aren't expecting him. This potion is easily confused, though. The anti-potion, as it were, requires blood as well, but when it is finished, the potion actually reverts to a dust form, which we release in as many areas as possible. It will make it impossible to pinpoint our actual location," Snape said, rolling his eyes. "Brightest witch of the age, are you? Are you asleep, then?"

Hermione bristled but said nothing. Finally, Snape needed some blood and he handed her an athame. Ron held his better arm and Hermione slid the blade down the soft under-skin, catching some blood in a small vial. She gave it over to Snape before healing Ron's injuries as best she could.

Snape finished the potion quickly, then divided up the small pile of dust. He put a little dust into the small pouches he conjured. He handed one each to Hermione and Ron.

"Take these and apparate somewhere. When you're satisfied, open the pouch and try to blow the dust into the four directions of the wind. I'll take pouches to everyone else in the Order," Snape said, gathering the rest of the pouches.

Hermione elbowed Ron, who coughed and spoke. "Thank you, Professor."

"Yes. Well. Don't let this happen again, to either of you."

Snape apparated away without another word.

_**The Space Between  
The wicked lies we tell  
And hope to keep us safe from the pain  
**_

Harry had held Ginny while she cried herself out. Albus and Minerva had gone to be with Arthur and Molly when Draco came into the room. He looked a wee bit worse for the wear, and Lavender was no where to be seen.

"Where's Lavender, Draco?" Harry asked, his arms still around his wife.

"She's tired, still in bed," Draco said quietly. "They never should have gone without us, you know. They could all be dead, but had we been there, I know things would have been different."

"Draco, we have no idea what would have happened had two more of us been there," Harry said tiredly. "Pettigrew might have taken one of us to use against everyone else."

"Both of you are indispensable, Draco. You're pissed off because you didn't get to go along. Keep in mind that you have a pregnant fiancée," Ginny said, wiping the tears from her eyes and glaring at Draco. "Or did you forget that little bit?"

"Don't you tell me what I have or haven't forgotten, Mrs. Potter," Draco hissed. "But the fact remains that we should have been at least asked about the situation."

"You weren't invited because you have too much to live for right now. Same as Harry. But you need to get over this. You need to be in top shape, because the final battle is coming," Ginny said, sitting up a little straighter. "And now I find that my brother is traitor, and two of my brothers are hunting him down. But I'm making that make me stronger. You're upset because you got left out once. Get over it."

Harry and Draco stared after Ginny as she got up and left them with each other. The shared a look and stayed silent.

_**Will I hold you again?  
Will I hold...**_

Molly Weasley cried for hours after Minerva and Albus broke the news to her and Arthur. She had never thought that Percy, even though he disdained his family, would turn traitor the way he did. As she thought on that, Molly cried anew.

"Molly-wobbles, please, its not your fault," Arthur tried to console his wife, who was once again reduced to a quivering mass. "No-one expected this of Percy, Molly. Don't let him hurt like this Molly, not after everything else he's done."

"Arthur," Molly wailed, clutching at him as she sobbed. "He looked down on us for so long. We were never good enough for him, and now he's taking it out on us. He's helping Voldemort, Arthur. The darkest wizard in history, and our own son is helping him just for the thrill of power that will die out so quickly it's as if it never happened."

Arthur had never seen his wife so sad in all the time he'd known her. Not when the Potters were murdered, or when they all though Albus was gone. But to have one of their own betray them. . .

Arthur kissed the side of Molly's face gently, stroking her back and comforting her as only a husband could.

_**Look at us spinning out in  
The madness of a roller coaster  
You know you went off like a devil  
**_

Ron and Hermione apparated to random places, releasing some of the potion wherever they could. They were making the best of the rest of the day, knowing that they had nothing else to do, save releasing the potion.

In fact, they were busily making out, Ron leaning Hermione up against a wall in an alleyway, his hand snaking up her thigh when something happened they hadn't expected.

Ron had worked his hand over the snap of Hermione's denims when his eyes went wide.

"Hermione," he gasped, his weight falling against her, pinning Hermione to the wall unwittingly.

"Such a pity. I thought my old lover would be here as well," Cho Chang's voice rang out over the cobblestones of the street.

"You bitch!" Hermione said, grabbing at Ron's falling form as she watched Cho Chang back away. "You'll not win this war, Cho. Come back into the fold, we'll protect you from Voldemort. Your daughters can grow up without fear of repudiation."

"Daughter? You mean the little whelps I labored over, then had to rear? No chance of that now, is there? I couldn't let them go to Azkaban, could I?" Cho said with an evil little laugh.

Hermione's eyes grew wider an wider as she grasped the full meaning of the older woman's words.

"You. . . you evil, vile wench," Hermione breathed. "They were your own daughters, children you grew in your own womb, gave birth to. . . You killed them, didn't you?"

"Kill means that they had some sort of real life, Hermione. They were tools, born because they were needed. But no more," Cho cackled and apparated away with a CRACK! that would be heard for kilometers around.

**AN: My, my, my. . . Whatever is going to happen now? Here's a hint the next chapter is 'Lovers in a Dangerous Time', by the Barenaked Ladies. **

**I think we all knew that Percy was a good-for-nothing traitor from the very first book. Now he gets to be the scumbag he was always meant to be. **

**Anybody else detest Cho Chang?**


	14. Lovers In A Dangerous Time

**Every Time We Touch**

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

**Chapter 14: Lovers in a Dangerous Time**

**_Lovers in a Dangerous Time,_ Barenaked Ladies**

_**Don't the hours grow shorter as the days go by**_

_**We never get to stop and open our eyes**_

After Cho Chang left, Hermione turned her attention to Ron's still form. He was still pinning her against the wall, dead weight that Hermione could barely move. She was afraid that she'd hurt him more by moving him, but without moving Ron, she couldn't reach her wand to summon help or do any sort of magic. Tears welled up as Hermione summoned all her strength and began to gingerly roll Ron off just enough so she could better support his weight and bring him to the ground so she could examine him better.

Hermione held Ron as she slid to the ground, holding him close to keep him warm. Hermione misjudged the distance to the ground and she jarred Ron as her butt connected with the ground. He groaned and Hermione's quiet sobs stopped for a moment.

"Ron?!" she whispered. "Ron, wake up, you can't die on me now! Just hold on while I find my wand. I'll apparate us to St. Mungo's, or to the Hogwart's infirmary, or "

Ron opened an eye and groaned again. He opened his mouth but couldn't speak. He closed his eyes tighter and moaned, trying to motion to his back.

"Ron?" Hermione said, leaning over Ron, who was resting on his back in her lap. She pursed her lips and grunted as she rolled him over, trying to see the damage on his back. She gagged as she saw the bloody mess of his back, which had been torn apart by Cho Chang's attack. "Oh, Ron."

Hermione gently probed the injury but was rebuffed by a spell. She wrinkled her brow and tried again, but was again rebuffed. She thought for a moment before she remembered the bespelled dagger from so long ago. Taking a breath, Hermione grabbed her wand from her pocket and cast a revealing spell to allow her to see the true damage, under the bloody and torn flesh.

"Bloody Merlin," Hermione breathed, and Ron whimpered, crawling closer to unconsciousness. Whatever spell Chang had hit Ron with had done serious damage: there was a deep wound on Ron's back between his ribs yet under his heart and lungs, thankfully.

_**One minute you're waiting for the sky to fall**_

_**And next you're dazzled by the beauty of it all**_

After assessing the damage, Hermione began casting small spells to try to begin healing Ron. She managed to clean most of the blood and had slowed the bleeding, but he'd already lost much blood and he wasn't clotting right. And there was still the matter of having to heal around the leftover curse from the bespelled dagger.

Ron was nearing lucidity after Hermione had been working for an hour. It was starting to grow dark, and she hadn't even noticed. Ron was facedown in her lap, trying to muster up some strength when he heard Hermione talking to herself.

"The bloods cleaned away, and the smaller cuts are healed. But how to get around the curse and heal the greater wound?" Hermione mumbled to herself, exhaustion mounting in her voice from the magic she'd been working. Ron could feel her pain, and her love, through her voice and touch. "I won't give you up, my love."

Ron raised his head and turned so he could see her, but it taxed his strength too much. He breathed her name and finally lost all sense of consciousness.

Hermione's head snapped up at the sound of her name.

"Ron?" she asked, trying to discern whether or not he'd actually spoken to her. She didn't dare jostle him to try to get his attention, but she sensed something had changed. "Ron? Ron?!"

Hermione could feel his breathing slow and become shallower and her blood ran cold.

"Fuck!" Hermione said, throwing her wand down and grabbing Ron's shoulders, gently shaking him to wake him. "No, Ron, don't sleep. Don't do this to me." For the second time in less than two hours, she was about to lose him. Hermione reached for her wand, but she had thrown it out of her reach.

"Damn it all," Hermione sobbed, gathering Ron's ruined body to her own. After everything, she was going to lose him because she had thrown her wand away in frustration.

"I love you, Ron, and I'll see you soon," Hermione said as she felt his body grow colder and colder, and his breathing slow until she could barely feel it.

_**Lovers in a dangerous time**_

_**Lovers in a dangerous time**_

Ron was whole again, and warm. Harry and Ginny were with him, and they were all on their brooms. Hermione was on the ground, reading and waving to them occasionally, even blowing Ron kisses once in a while when she thought Harry and Ginny weren't looking. They were playing quidditch and Hermione finally put her book aside, holding her arms out to Ron. He swooped down and flipped her up onto his broom, taking her for a wide loop around the grounds of Godrick's Hollow. Harry and Ginny followed and the four of them headed for a brook with no name for a picnic, which Hermione had conjured for them.

"Have a seat and let's have our picnic!" Hermione said, smiling at Ron and patting the ground next to her. For the life of him, Ron couldn't remember how she'd gotten down there. He sat next to Hermione and threw his arms around her.

"Hey mate, rematch when we get back?" Harry said, settling down across from Ron and Hermione with Ginny. "I hate to lose."

Ron laughed. It was the first time Harry had ever lost to Ron in a game of quidditch, and it felt good to be the winner and not the loser.

"Yeah, and maybe this time I won't play," Ginny said, awkwardly patting her bulging stomach. Ron blinked; he could've sworn that a few minutes ago she'd been the slim sister he'd always known. He must've just missed it. But he'd never let Ginny on a broom let alone into a game of quidditch in her condition would he?

"Yeah. I can't believe you and Harry together lost to Ron! When will you two ever learn that Ron is probably the best quidditch player ever?" Hermione said lovingly, gazing into Ron's eyes.

"Thanks, love," Ron said, figuring that she was being facetious. Harry was always the better player. "You'll make the best wife."

"Silly! What do you think this picnic is for? Ginny's pregnant and today's our two-year anniversary!" Hermione laughed, playfully slapping Ron's shoulder.

"No, it's not. We've been dating for longer than that, but we're not even engaged," Ron said, suddenly suspicious.

"Of course we're not engaged Ron; we're still newlyweds," Hermione said as if speaking to a child.

"Yeah, Ron, you two are newlyweds. And you are the best quidditch player; we've been waiting for you to pick a team. Harry said that once you have a team, you'll get a position for him, too," Ginny said in the same tone Hermione had used.

"What about Cho Chang and defeating Voldemort?"

"Ron, you got them. You defeated Voldemort and captured Cho Chang before she could do any damage," Harry laughed. "You really love reliving your best moments don't you?"

Ron leaned back and away from Hermione, who was still clinging to him, in a very un-Hermione way. Ginny had gotten even bigger and Harry looked more desperate. Everything was starting to freak Ron out, but he knew he had to ask one last question:

"When did I propose to you, Hermione?"

"Silly! When we graduated, of course."

"NO," Ron shouted, throwing Hermione off of him, getting up and staring down at his companions. "I've never been better than Harry at quidditch, Ginny is married but not pregnant, Hermione hates brooms, and I haven't proposed yet!"

**_These fragile bodies of touch and taste_**

_**This fragrant skin this hair like lace**_

_**Spirits open to a thrust of grace**_

_**Never a breath you can afford to waste**_

Hermione was bent over Ron's still form, and she knew he was slipping away from her. Her silent tears turned into heartbroken sobs of anguish and defeat, but even more than that, loss.

Ron's breath stopped and Hermione threw herself across him, rolling him over so she could see his face. Ron's face was a waxy white, pallid and death-stricken. Sobbing quietly, Hermione brought her face do the Ron's, pressing her lips over his in a final kiss.

'I can't live without you, my love. Once Voldemort is gone, I'm joining you,' was the last thought that crossed her mind before her lips touched his.

At impact, a blue light shot out from their meshed lips. The light infused Ron's almost-dead form and Hermione's lively one, warming Ron's form and relaxing Hermione's. Ron shuddered and breathed deeply, drawing his breath from her body. His arms shot up and grasped Hermione, drawing her down and into a deeper kiss than she'd been expecting.

Hermione broke the kiss and stared at Ron, who was astounded to find himself whole. He stared back at Hermione, who busied herself checking out all of the former damage. Ron followed suit and found that his wound from Chang's attack was gone. His body had re-knitted over the wound and there wasn't even a scar.

Hermione hugged him tight as Ron sat up, and she pressed her face against his chest, then she straightened up quickly.

"Ron. The curse, from the dagger it's gone. I can't feel it at all," Hermione said, running her hands over his chest under his t-shirt, which was falling off, anyway. "How do you feel?"

Ron took Hermione's hands from his chest and held them gently in his own. He looked into her eyes and he could see their love in them. He smiled and Hermione smiled back, a little warily.

_**Lovers in a dangerous time**_

_**Lovers in a dangerous time**_

Hermione smiled at Ron, who was silent for a moment. She laughed nervously as he groped around in his pockets. Ron blushed as he finally produced a small black velvet box.

"Forgive me for not getting down on one knee, but I think this'll do," Ron said, snapping the box open to reveal a large square-cut sapphire set between two tiny, twinkling diamonds in white gold. "I know I've taken too long to ask you this, but would you do me the honor of being my wife?"

"Yes, of course! I've wanted to marry you for ages, Ronald; I want to marry you and have your children and grow old with you and " Hermione said, speaking so quickly the words began to run together until Ron silenced her with a kiss.

"A simple 'yes' would've sufficed, Love," Ron said, holding Hermione close. He put his hand under her chin and guided her gaze back to his. "I love you, Hermione, and I should've done this a long time ago. I never should've made you wait like this, on the edge, not knowing if this would happen, let alone when."

"Shall we go back to the Shack and tell everyone?" Hermione asked, kissing Ron before he could answer.

"Not quite yet," Ron said, returning the kiss and apparating them back to their own flat.

_**When you're lovers in a dangerous time**_

_**Sometimes you're made to feel as if your love's a crime**_

_**Nothing worth having comes without some sort of fine**_

_**Gotta kick at the darkness till it bleeds daylight**_

Hermione had never felt more for Ron than she did that night, back in their flat as his fiancée. She had ripped the rest of his t-shirt off of him when they arrived back at the apartment. Ron laughed in a low voice, grabbing her hands before she could rip his jeans from him. He held her still for a moment, his eyes searching hers before he kissed her fiercely. He thrust his tongue into her mouth, grinding them together. He pushed Hermione up against the wall, tearing her shirt straight down from neck to navel, pushing the strips to either side of her breasts. He smiled as her nipples puckered in the cooler air, and she blushed. He chuckled and kissed her neck, whispering in her ear.

"Hermione, why are you blushing? You've never blushed when I did this before," Ron whispered to Hermione, nuzzling her neck and ear.

"I don't know, Ron. I've never done this with an engaged man before," Hermione sighed as Ron left her ear and traveled back down to her breasts. He suckled her nips so carefully that Hermione wanted to scream in frustration. She held his head to her breast, his mouth to her nipple while he nipped and suckled. Ron moved to her other breast and sucked hard. "Ron!"

Ron smiled as he undid the snap and zipper on Hermione's denims, slipping his hand inside to test her. She was hot and slippery, but Ron knew he'd rather play for a while. As Hermione writhed above him, Ron kissed his way down from her breasts to her navel, dipping his tongue in and eliciting a giggle. He was on his knees again and Hermione turned her face to the side.

"Don't worry, Love. No need to worry, now," Ron said, pushing her jeans and knickers away, and kissing her downy mound. Hermione stopped moving as Ron tasted her, slipping his tongue in and out, around her core before sucking hard on her clit. He was rewarded when Hermione sceramed his name again, dragging him up from her nether regions and planting a kiss on his mouth.

"I like the taste of me on you," Hermione said in a ragged whisper, unknowingly rubbing herself against him. As she continued to kiss Ron, she worked on his trousers, shoving them away from his raging erection. Hermione cupped him lovingly before she tore her mouth away from his. She flipped them so that Ron was leaning against the wall as she kneeled before him. Ron growled and grabbed Hermione's shoulders, forcing himself into her mouth. Hermione glared at him and nipped his head, which gave Ron a full-body shiver.

Hermione laughed low in her chest, and Ron felt the vibration through the length of his cock as she let him piston in and out of her mouth. After what seemed an eternity, Hermione pulled back from Ron and smiled up at him.

"I love you so much, Hermione," Ron said, lifting her up from the floor and into his arms. "And I want you even more, now, my bride to be."

Hermione smiled and nipped Ron's shoulder. In response, he swatted her bum before he threw her down on the bed.

**_Lovers in a dangerous time_**

_**Lovers in a dangerous time**_

With Hermione sprawled before him on the bed, Ron knew immediately what he wanted with her then, more than anything else. He reached to Hermione's bedside table, grabbing some of her scarves from the drawer. Hermione smiled at him shyly and then she laughed nervously.

"What are these for, Ron?" she asked, more than turned on.

"You'll find out," Ron said, grabbing her ankles and tying them to the posts at the foot of their bed. With another scarf, Ron tied one of her wrists to a post at the head of the bed. "I like a little fight."

Ron removed the rest of his own clothes and Hermione's and he leaned over Hermione, resting his weight on his hands so he hovered over her. He pressed his face to hers, leaning in for a kiss. She bit him instead, bringing her free hand up to scratch his neck. Ron laughed, a low roar in Hermione's ears. He leaned down, getting between Hermione's legs and bringing his face to her breasts, biting hard and quickly, arousing Hermione even more. She sighed his name and tried to grind herself against him.

Finally, Ron couldn't take it anymore; he drove himself home, so deep into Hermione that she screamed his name. Ron pushed himself into her and dragged himself out, in and out until Hermione could feel him grow even harder, even longer and she started whispering his name as a mantra, calling to him to come to her, to help her. With one last thrust, Ron shouted her name as she called his, spilling himself deep into her core. Both passed out from their exertions, but not before Ron removed the scarves so he could gather Hermione into his arms.

_**Lovers in a dangerous time**_

_**Lovers in a dangerous time**_

It was hours before Ron and Hermione woke, sore and sated. Sated or not, both were ready to go again, but they each needed a shower. Hermione led Ron into the bathroom and kissed him deeply as she fixed the water temperature. They lovingly soaped each other up and took their time washing and exploring one another, as if their were still virgins learning for the first time.

It was hours before the newly engaged couple was ready to go back to the Shrieking Shack. Hermione in particular didn't want to leave their flat, wanting instead to spend the day lazy and in bed (which even Hermione admitted was quite unlike her typical get-up-and-go-do-it-all self). Finally, after many promises to make up for lost time the coming night, Ron cajoled Hermione into her clothes and onto a broom for the short trip to the Shrieking Shack.

Remus Lupin and Sirius Black were waiting for Ron and Hermione when they arrived, breathless from the flight and their prior exertions. Lupin threw the front door open when he heard the brooms touch down. Sirius was right behind him, and both were pale.

"Where have you two been all afternoon?!" Sirius shouted from the dilapidated porch as Remus ran down the stairs to examine the couple.

"We heard that Cho Chang was spotted not long after an explosion was heard in a village near your flat, and that someone resembling a Weasley was involved," Remus said, grabbing Ron to take a look at him. "Was that you? Were you the curse from the dagger! It's gone! Sirius!"

Sirius jumped down the steps and landed next to Remus. He looked closely at Ron and sniffed him carefully, as if he could smell magic. Finally, he turned his attention back to Remus.

"You're right, but that's not supposed to be possible. A cursed object such as an athame or other weapon of piece of jewelry is supposed to imprint a lasting curse or charm."

Remus looked at Ron and then Hermione. "What you've done today has only been done one other time this century when Ginny saved Harry."

Hermione nodded but Ron coughed and blushed, looking away from the older men.

"What do you need to say, Ron? It could be very important," Remus said impatiently, crossing his arms. Sirius glared at Ron but kept his arms at his sides.

"You see, she didn't save me," Ron started and Hermione's face fell, but he continued, "It was more along the line that she brought me back. I was in a place that I knew had to be something after this life, where all the things I want and didn't even know I wanted were true. Kind of."

_**We were lovers in a dangerous time**_

_**We were lovers in a dangerous time**_

Remus and Sirius shared a look and Hermione bit her lip.

"And?" Sirius said impatiently, stamping his foot a bit.

"It was what I wanted, but I knew that they weren't real. Hermione and I were celebrating our two-year wedding anniversary, Ginny was preggers, and I had beaten her and Harry at quidditch.

"But I was confused, and when I asked questions, the answers didn't match my memories. I didn't propose to Hermione when we graduated, I'm certainly not the best quidditch player, and Ginny would never get on a broom pregnant."

Remus nodded and looked at Hermione. "You need to tell me everything that you witnessed or did. From the time Chang showed up to when Ron woke up completely healed."

Hermione nodded. "We were in an ally, we'd been dispersing the powder as Snape had told us to do, as we were all doing, when Chang surprised us."

"How did she surprise you? You should know better than to linger in an ally," Remus admonished, and Hermione blushed beet-red.

"Three guesses, first two don't count, Remus," Sirius chuckled.

Remus rolled his eyes, shook his head, and looked at Hermione, who continued.

"Cho apparated in, hit Ron with some spell that I didn't recognize which made a complete mess of his body and knocked him out before she lectured me Why do all villains feel the need to completely lay out their vile plans to the person who's obviously going to survive? I thought that only happened in bad movies," Hermione said as an aside.

"And?" Sirius said, losing interest in the whole thing.

"She babbled for a bit before she disapparated and things got weird. I examined Ron's body to see what I could help with, but I knew I was losing him. When I finally felt him stop breathing I I don't know. I was leaning over him, kissing him one last time when this blue light shot out around us, then he was back."

"That settles it. You have the same old magick in your blood that Ginny has, Hermione. Minerva could probably explain it better than I could. But the fact remains that Ron is back and you're probably stronger than before, both of you," Remus said, smiling at the young lovers. "And I see that you both left something out that is just as important."

Remus grabbed Hermione's left hand and bowed low over it, pressing a kiss of respect into her palm. Sirius followed suit.

"I believe the groom gets congratulations on wooing his woman and the bride gets best wishes for falling for it?" Sirius smirked. Hermione thought for a moment that Draco must have gotten his trademark smirk from both sides of his family.

Hermione let Ron lead her up the stairs and onto the porch, followed by Remus and Sirius. They entered the house and Sirius smiled at them quickly before he opened his mouth and bellowed.

"Come quick! Ron's finally gotten Hermione pregnant!"

Hermione stomped her foot down on Sirius's, and the older man hopped around, holding it while he howled in pain.

"I am not pregnant, Sirius! Stop doing things like that. I know how you greeted Harry when he gave you his news," Hermione hissed.

Ginny, Harry, Tonks, the Weasleys and Albus and Minerva came running. Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand to check out the ring while Harry and Ron's brothers took turns mussing Ron's hair and 'playfully' punching him in the shoulder.

Hermione was giggling and glowing, showing off her ring while stealing looks at her fiancée, who was desperately trying to get away from the others and back to her. Finally, all the hugs had been dispersed and Hermione was securely back in Ron's arms when she looked around the room and noticed some key people were missing, whether they were their bosom-buddies or not.

"Where are Draco and Lavender?" Hermione asked, and no-one had an answer.

"Yeah, I figure Lavender would want to see that I was properly saddled and that Draco would like to compare sums spent on rings," Ron snorted, and everyone laughed, but stopped when an ear-splitting scream came from the upstairs.

Draco came running down the stairs, hair flying and only wearing pants.

"Hermione, Ginny, get up there. Chang showed up and left, and now Lav's in labor!

**AN: Well, well, well. Next 2 chapters will probably feature Draco and Lav, and what's going on with them.**

**I originally started this story with the objective of getting Ron and Hermione together while using the lyrics of some of my favorite songs to help keep the story moving. I feel that through the chapters and with everyone's reviews (which I always love and adore, and appreciate more than I can tell you all) I've done what I wanted with the story. **

**This is the final stretch, and after the Draco-Lav chapters there will only be a few more, dealing with Chang, moldy Voldie and tying up all those loose ends you all probably think I've forgotten about. Finish this ride with me, I promise you'll enjoy it.**

**ladykyo**

**Brenna of the separate-sisters**


	15. Life Is Like A Boat

**Every Time We Touch**

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

**Chapter 15: Life Is Like a Boat**

**_Life Is Like a Boat,_ Rie Fu**

**Nobody knows who I really am**

**I've never felt this empty before**

**And if I ever need someone to come along**

**Who's gonna comfort me and keep me strong?**

Lavender and Draco had been rudely awakened from their nap by the last person they wanted to see. Draco's arm was snugly around Lavender's rounded belly when the crash woke him up. He threw himself over her body, shielding the still-growing child in her womb while he searched out the source of the crash.

"Hahaha," Cho Chang cackled as she continued to shoot small spells at various vases and dust-collectors that Lavender had decorated their room with; she noticed that Draco had wakened and turned her wand to him, grinning evilly. "Why, Draco, who would ever think that you would go so soft as to get yourself not just a fiancée but one who's already pregnant? Who's the daddy? Ickle Weasley, perhaps?"

"You fucking whore. Get out!" Draco hissed, grabbing his own wand and raising it to casting level. "I wonder if you were the one who helped little Barty Crouch plant the portkey; who else among the student body but the most trusted prefects had any sort of access to the Tri-Wizard tasks? Did you fuck Voldemort then, or did you wait to do it until Cedric was dead, perhaps on his grave?"

The expression on Chang's face went from gleefully evil to maniacally deranged. Her face continued to crumble, and Draco felt a slow, cold shiver work its way down his spine. Lavender began to stir, and Draco had to fight not to look towards her, not to do anything to draw Chang's attention from him to Lavender.

"How dare you mention Cedric to me, Draco! Perhaps if Harry had died as he should have, Cedric would still be here, and I wouldn't be this way!" Chang shrieked, and Lavender bolted straight up in bed, wand raised.

"Bugger off, Chang. I'll hex you into oblivion, you Ravenclaw turncoat, so I think it is in your best interest to leave. Now," Lavender said; Draco surmised that she must not have really been asleep, but rather pretending to be asleep while assessing the situation.

Chang closed her eyes for a minute, seemingly composing herself. She smiled, and Draco felt the cold pool in his stomach as she apparated away silently.

An echo reverberated in their room, ringing in Chang's voice:

"A wedding gift, from me to you, dear Draco. Just remember when everyone else turns on you, I just might give you another chance. Just bring the child as offering and all will be settled."

Draco was sickened by the thought, but he didn't focus on it. The birth was a long way off, and Lavender was healthy.

"Draco, what'd she mean by that? You'd never hurt me, or our child. I know that," Lavender said quietly, before a strange look crossed her face.

"Lavender, I promise, I'll never hurt you, or our daughter. You're healthy, and it will be months before the child arrives. Lavender, I mean that," Draco said as another look tore across her face.

"Nooo!!" Lavender screamed, her hands clutching and cradling her stomach as her spine arced. "Gods, no! Someone help me!"

Lavender continued to scream and shriek wordlessly, as Draco tried to make her more comfortable before he ran downstairs to get help form the other women of the house, inexperienced in such matters as they may be.

"Hermione, Ginny, get up there. Chang showed up and left, and now Lav's in labor!"

**We are all rowing the boat of fate**

**The waves keep on coming and we can't escape**

**But if we ever get lost on our way**

**The waves would guide through another day**

Hermione and Ginny tore up the stairs ahead of Draco. Hermione shouted instructions to the men while she and Ginny moved towards Lavender.

"Get clean sheets and find Minerva, Ron; Harry, go to Hogwart's and get Poppy. Draco, find some pots and boil water if anyone can get Dawny and Roz, we could use their help," Hermione shouted, running through the door to Draco and Lavender's bedroom, almost colliding with Ginny, who had stopped short at the sight of Lavender writhing on the bed, covered with blood and fluids. "Bloody Merlin."

"Lavender, we're here to help you, Love," Ginny said, finally snapping out of her daze. "We need to have a good look at you, so we need to wash you up, alright?" she turned to Hermione, who conjured a pail full of clean, warm water and some clean rags.

Hermione and Ginny quickly dipped the rags from the pile into the water that never cooled, carefully wiping the blood first from Lavender's stomach, then her thighs, and finally, Ginny kneeling by Lavender's head to support her, Hermione gingerly cleaned the mess from between Lavender's thighs. Contractions were gripping Lavender more and more frequently, coming faster together, and she began to whimper in between screams and shrieks.

Ginny cradled Lavender, who squeezed Ginny's hands at every contraction. Hermione continued to keep Lavender clean, but she needed to move her to cleaner surroundings soon, or they'd have infection to worry about.

"Hermione, I've got the oh my Merlin," Ron said, squeezing his eyes shut tight against the scene that confronted him. "Here are the sheets; what else do you need me to do?"

**Tooku de ikiwo shiteru toumeni natta mitai**

**Kurayami ni omoedakedo mekakushi sarete ta dake**

Hermione grabbed the sheets and looked around the room. "Ron, we can't move Lavender from this room, not with the birth happening so quickly. As soon as Harry or Draco get up here, I'll need two of you to _carefully_ pick Lav up so Ginny and I can change the sheets; if we don't clean everything up, both Lavender and the baby will be at risk for bad infections. After that, you three will have to stay out of the way, but close by in case we need you to take care of anything."

Draco appeared in the doorway, and when he saw the blood flowing so freely, he paled and tried to get to Lavender. Ron grabbed him and held him tight, allowing him to see his fiancée, but keeping him from getting in the way.

"Oi, man, did you hear what 'Mione said? We need to lift Lavender so they can change the sheets for her. Can you help, or do I need to wait for Harry?" Ron said as he held the blonde man. Draco nodded and Ron let him go.

Draco kissed Lavender's cheek lovingly before he and Ron gathered her in their arms and lifted her gently, doing their best not to hurt her. Lavender was breathing heavily, and she was writhing, trying to get into a position that would relieve some of the pressure on her groin.

"Someone, please just kill me," Lavender screamed as another contraction gripped her, almost throwing her out of Draco and Ron's arms. They tightened their grip, but soon she'd be so strong, they wouldn't even be able to hold her.

Hermione and Ginny managed to change the sheets in two minutes flat, though it seemed an eternity to Lavender. With a SNAP they fixed the sheets and Hermione nodded to Draco and Ron, who let Lavender back down on the bed. She continued to squirm and try to push, but Hermione and Ginny were trying to stop her.

"Shh, Love, don't push yet," Ginny cooed, resuming he station near Lavender's head. Ron had dragged Draco out of the room, and their pacing could be heard even over Lavender's cries.

"Lavender, if you push now, you'll hurt not just you but your baby, too," Hermione said, massaging Lavender's stomach right above her nether regions. The area was starting to go rigid, and Hermione could feel the baby changing positions, entering the birth canal so early.

"Girls, I'm here and Poppy's on her way. Wash up again, and then we need to get Lavender out of the bed and squatting," Rosmerta had finally arrived, and Dawny was lugging up pails of hot water for washing up and cleaning Lavender up again. "Here, Lavender, munch on these; they're ice chips, and they'll help keep you from feeling hungry or getting dehydrated. Although, with the speed at which you're going, I don't think either will matter much."

"I've made sure Master Draco will be 'round but not in the way, Miss Lav, I 'ave," Dawny said, up on tiptoe so she could see Lavender's face. She busied herself around the room, stoking up a fire to keep everyone warm and getting things out of the way for the women.

"Ginny, you kneel behind Lavender and help her to sit up as much as possible. Hermione, I need you to go to Lavender's side, opposite me, so we can help her move to the floor. Lavender, do you know if you're carrying a multiple birth?" Roz said, and Lavender's eyes went wild.

"I I don't really know. I was just taking care of myself. I didn't go to the healers much. But the birth is happening so quickly," Lavender sobbed, exhaustion creeping up on her. "And I'm so tired."

"Lavender!" Roz's voice cracked like a whip. "You can't sleep. We need to get you into a squatting position before Poppy gets here. I think you're having more than one, and this is best for you."

Hermione and Roz managed to pull Lavender off the bed and onto the floor in a squatting position with Ginny's help. Ginny kneeled behind Lavender on the floor as well, while Hermione knelt in front of her, holding her hands to help steady the frightened young woman.

"Almost there; Lavender, on the next contraction, you can start pushing gently; the baby is still very young, and has moved into the birth canal without much notice on your part," Roz said, washing her hands again and turning to look at the door. "Ron, Draco, get me clean towels and blankets. I don't know how many I'll need."

Outside the door, someone fell to the floor while another person ran off for blankets and towels. A few minutes later, Draco popped his head in to check on the situation.

"What can I do, Roz?" Draco asked, his face even paler than before.

"Get over here; when it comes, I'll clean it and wrap it, then pass it to you. Where's Ron with the blankets and towels?" Roz said irritably. "And can't Harry move a bit faster?"

**Inori wo sasagaete atarashi hiwomatsu**

**Azayaka ni hikaru umi sono hate made**

Ron returned shortly with the blankets and towels, passing them off to Roz and then waiting in the background for another order. Lavender continued to push and heave, and finally a baby boy, squirming and strong, passed into Roz's hands. Draco handed her a clean, warmly damp rag so she could clean off the boy, who squealed when she slapped him.

"Good. Draco, you have a son as your firstborn. I need to get the afterbirth, now," Roz said, but as she turned back to Lavender, the younger woman screamed again. "Fuck! Get me another clean rag you've got twins!"

Another baby, much smaller than the boy, arrived, this time a daughter who didn't make much noise. Roz cleaned her and passed her to Draco, who then had his hands full of baby. She reached in for the after-birth, and finally, it was all over.

Hermione and Ginny helped Lavender into bed, helping her clean herself up while Poppy arrived to check on the twins. Lavender was exhausted, but she wouldn't go to sleep yet. Hermione and Ginny tucked her in while Draco and Ron carried the babies in, as Poppy had declared them healthy if a bit under weight and young.

"We'll leave you to it," Hermione said, smiling. Ron reached for her hand, though it was sticky with blood and fluids from the birthing. She stiffened, then let him hold her as they left the room.

"Ya, just give us their names when we come visit you later. Poppy said she already gave you instructions for the rest of the night," Ginny said, following her brother and Hermione out, shutting the door tight behind herself.

**AN: I know that there is a lot more involved with the initial testing and the dealings with the after-birth and post-labor 'massage', but it is kind of gruesome to some and not as important to this story lady-kyo**

**Nobody knows who I really am**

**Maybe they just don't give a damn**

**But if I ever need someone to come along**

**I know you would comfort me and keep me strong**

Draco knelt next to Lavender on their bed, each with a child in their arms. Draco was completely enamored with his daughter, and Lavender was terribly proud of her son.

"Just like his Da," Lavender laughed softly. "Always wants to be first."

Draco kissed Lavender's temple softly, stroking a finger down his son's face.

"And our girl is just like her mum; small and shy, but probably with lungs that'll wake the entire building," Draco said with a chuckle as Lavender blushed. "You're blushing _now_?"

That made Lavender think harder about the whole ordeal: not only was she unmarried and a mum **AN: I_ do not_ have a problem with that. Anyone who does can try it it isn't as if it is easy, and not one person I know who did that meant for it, or saw it as a punishment. **, but Ginny, Hermione and Roz had all been there to see it happen. Lavender closed her eyes and a tear slid down her cheek.

"Oh, Lav, that's not what I meant. I'm proud of you; you should know that by now. The way you dealt with Chang you are so strong. You'll be a great mum, and if anyone ever tries to use this against you, they'll answer to me," Draco said, squeezing Lavender against him.

"But what are we going to call them?"

**Hitono kokorowo utsuri yuku nukedashitakunakuru**

**Tsukiwa mata atarashii shuuki de funewo tsureteku**

Lavender hadn't a clue as to what to need their children, but she was so comforted by what Draco had said that it didn't matter to her. She smiled at him, basking in his love, and finally knowing that he loved _her_, not just her blood, her family line and money, or the prospect of her having his children: he loved and wanted her, no-one and nothing else.

"I think you should name our daughter, Draco," Lavender said, and she saw a light flare in his eyes. For a moment, he looked sadder than she had ever seen him before, even when someone had tried to frame him for killing Dumbledore, sadder than at his mother's funeral.

"But you're her mum," Draco said quietly, looking into his daughter's intelligent eyes. Her brother was still asleep, refusing to deal with the two strangers holding him and his sister. The girl's eyes were that molten color that could be blue, or green, or gray, or silver; Draco had always called them the Malfoy eyes, until he'd seen pictures of his paternal grandmother. He knew now that they were Prince eyes, and he was proud of it.

Lavender smiled again, "But you're her Da."

Draco looked into his daughter's eyes again, thinking hard for a moment. He concentrated on his daughter's eyes for a moment. Naming her after his paternal grandmother might prove awful, but he felt the need to remember those gone before.

"How about 'Eileen-Lillian Narcissa Malfoy'?" Draco said, gauging Lavender's reaction.

"I think it's just wonderful, Draco. And our son?" Lavender asked, but Draco shook his head, then nodded towards Lavender. "Oh, you want me to name him?"

Draco nodded, smiling.

"He could be no other than 'Severus Tobias Malfoy', after your line," Lavender said, and she thought she saw tears in Draco's eyes. "But they need nicknames, saddled the way they are. So you," Lavender tickled her son, who finally opened an eye to regard her, "Are going to be Sev or Tobey. Ask your Da."

Draco laughed, tickling his daughter. "My little Ei-Lily." **AN: pronounced 'eye-lily'**

"I love you, Lavender," Draco said, passing her their daughter so the twins could nurse again.

**And every time I see your face**

**The oceans heave up to my heart **

**You make me wanna strain at the oars**

**And soon I can see the shore**

A strange, calm hush settled over the Shrieking Shack that night. No-one in the house save Minerva and Lupin would be attending Filch's funeral; no-one else was even supposed to actually be in the area, so to speak, but the calm helped. Once Draco and Lavender were settled in and Ron and Hermione had sat down with Ginny and Molly, Harry left Sirius with Roz while he went in search of a most important member of the household.

Heading to the basement, Harry didn't bother knocking as he brushed aside wards that blocked his way to the lab.

"Severus, I think you should get out of your lab for a while. There's something you should see," Harry said calmly, not wanting to let the cat out of the bag. Severus had been hard at work all day, so he didn't know anything of what had happened.

"Potter, go make a baby or something; you did marry a Weasley. Don't you have some timetable to meet?" Severus said without looking up. Harry sighed and approached the man.

"Won't you please accompany me upstairs, Severus?" Harry gritted out. He was trying to be decent to the older man, but he was having none of it.

"My, my but what would Mrs. Potter think?" Severus said dryly, not paying Harry any more mind.

"Snark snark, Severus. this is your fault," Harry said, grabbing the man's shoulder and apparating him to the hall outside Draco and Lavender's room.

"They'll be asleep, Harry. It is late; I won't disturb them," Severus said, trying to leave. For a moment, he looked almost scared as a small cry broke the silence. "Is that?"

"Yes. Your grandchild. Go on; they won't mind," Harry said, leaving Snape in the hall.

Severus opened the door quietly, seeing his son asleep next his future daughter-in-law. Not one but two children were held by their parents. A little boy lolled on Lavender's chest while a wee girl was snuggled into Draco's shoulder. Her eyes were open, and Severus recognized them immediately; his mother's eyes. The girl was in some distress, and Severus felt his heart go out to the wee girl he'd never met before.

Severus stalked over to the bed silently, reaching for the girl whose cries stopped as he picked her up. She stared into his eyes, and Severus was shocked weren't infants supposed to be unable to focus like that?

"It is all right, wee one. I'm your grandfather, though I doubt you'll call me that," Severus said, in a sad tone. Draco was angry at him; the children would probably never know him or the other side of their heritage.

"She'll probably call you Gramps," Draco drawled, turning to face his father. "I wouldn't keep you from my little Ei-lily, Da; I can't forgive everything now, but someday. But I could never keep you away from her, or Sev."

"Ei-lily? Sev? What on earth did you name these poor children?" Severus said, cradling Ei-lily on his shoulder, patting her back while she looked around the small room.

"You are holding Eileen-Lillian Narcissa Malfoy, Ei-lily for short. Severus Tobias Malfoy, Sev for short, is sleeping yet again on his mother's bosom. He's going to have to learn to share, and soon," Draco said, mock-jealous.

"I take it the names are intentional?" Severus said, kissing his granddaughter softly before passing her back to her father.

"Of course. Pull up a chair and I'll let you hold Sev. He's quite a bit bigger than his sister, though," Draco said, reaching for his son. Lavender stirred and moaned, and Draco passed his son to his father before grabbing his daughter. "On second thought, let's take them downstairs and see who else we can introduce them to, shall we? Don't want to wake Lav."

**Ooh, I can see the shores**

**When will I see the shores?**

**I want you to know who I really am**

**I never thought I'd feel this way towards you**

**But if you ever need someone to come along**

**I will follow you and keep you strong**

Draco felt rather strange for the next few days while Lavender recovered. She was different. Not an entirely different person, but stronger, more confident or sure of herself than she had ever been before. She was up and walking quickly, but she cried when she stopped giving milk so soon after the birth.

It was only about a month after the twins had been born that Lavender's milk dried up. She'd loved nursing, which had surprised everyone, including Lavender. She loved the closeness it gave her, so she was distraught when she couldn't do it any longer. One day, Poppy stopped by to see her while on an errand into Hogsmead.

Lavender explained everything to the older woman, who frowned.

"Well, it could be the fact that you had twins, or how early they were. But you also received almost no prenatal care. You should've seen a doctor, Lavender. It was irresponsible of you not to," Poppy sniffed before she left.

After Poppy's visit, Lavender was even worse. Absolutely inconsolable, she locked everyone out of the room, even Draco. She wouldn't see her children, and she wouldn't speak more than a few words to let people know that yes, she was alive, and no, she didn't want to see anyone.

"Draco, I think she may be dealing with what muggles call 'Post-Partum Depression', or PPD. It is a condition that occurs after a birth; I really don't know all that much about it, but I can find a doctor" Hermione said one morning, coming across an exhausted Draco sitting over cold, burned coffee.

"It isn't that, Hermione. Her milk dried up, and she asked Poppy Fuck! I need to see Poppy and find out what she said to Lavender. You stay here, in case Lav needs to get up and move around, or even opens that damned door," Draco said, apparating away with a POP!

**Tabiwa mada tsuzukeyuku odaya kana himo **

**Tsukiwa mata atarashii shuuki de funewo terashidasu**

**Inori wo sasagaete atarashi hiwomatsu**

**Azayaka ni hikaru umi sono hate made**

"Alright, Poppy, what exactly did you say to Lavender that has her locked up in her room, not speaking to any of us or seeing her own bloody children?" Draco snarled as he tore into the infirmary in search of the meddling medi-witch.

"What do you mean?" Poppy said, not even looking up from her charts. "Remember, I need to see the little ones again soon for a check-up."

Draco wrapped a hand around her throat. "No. Now what did you say to her?"

Poppy croaked and dropped her quill, her eyes wide. "That her milk could have dried up for many reasons, but I'm not surprised because she put off seeing a doctor. She's irresponsible, Draco!"

Draco dropped the woman back into her seat.

"You can stay the fuck away from my family from now on, Pomfrey. You hurt Lavender and my children with those words; if she had done anything permanent, I'd have done something permanent to you."

Draco left Poppy gasping in her infirmary. She was crying and sobbing and gasping for breath when Minerva and Albus found her.

"Poppy, what happened?" Albus asked, thought he already knew the answer.

Poppy explained, and Minerva growled at her.

"You never did know when to shut your trap, did you? Careless woman. I wouldn't blame him if he killed you. Those are his wife and children that you put in danger," Minerva said coldly, not needing to handle the other woman gently now that her own husband was back. "Imagine what would have happened had I listened to you so long ago? You are a skilled medi-witch, but you are far too brusque for my tastes."

Albus was about to scold his wife for speaking so sharply to the medi-witch, but his curiosity was peaked.

"What is Minerva talking about, Poppy?"

Poppy wouldn't answer, so Minerva answered for her.

"When I was pregnant, Poppy here was so sure that I couldn't 'steal Albus' from her, so she assumed that I had gone off and gotten pregnant without a thought to it. She handed me a potion and told me I should go away to Scotland and lose the baby; she said she'd put a good word in for me next time she was with you."

Albus's jaw dropped. He'd always thought the women the best of friends; now he knew differently, and dread roiled his stomach. He picked up a vial he'd never seen before on Poppy's desk.

"Poppy, is this an Age Serum?" he said evenly. Poppy tried to get away, but he caught her with invisible bonds from his wand. "You helped Chang's daughters get in here and stay here, looking of age. I wonder how far you vengeance led you before? You never did try to stop Lockhart from removing Harry's bones at that quidditch game. How jealous were you?"

Poppy managed to wrench herself away and she ran towards the door, turning to face the couple before she left.

"Yes, jealousy is really the only thing I feel, isn't it? Not rage, or anger, or love, but jealousy? Why be jealous when I know you'll fail?" Poppy sneered, but it was cut short when the point of a very long knife protruded from her chest. She slowly turned around to face Severus Snape.

"You are the only one who could make those Age Serums, other than me, in this region. And those are my grandchildren you almost killed, you miserable wretch," Severus sneered vilely as the medi-witch fell to the floor and died.

"We'll burn the body; I refuse to give her proper burial," Albus said without emotion, cradling Minerva. "I'm sorry, Kitten; I had no idea about her, about how she'd become so twisted over the years since we married."

"She never knew, Albus; she just guessed."

**And every time I see your face**

**The oceans heave up to my heart **

**You make me wanna strain at the oars**

**And soon I can see the shore**

**Unmeiwa funewo kogi namiwa tsugikara tsukieto**

**Watashitachi o sou kedo soremo sutekina tabiine **

**Doremo sutekina tabiine**

Albus and Minerva set about making Poppy's arrangements immediately; there would be no funeral, just a pyre with her name and crime to burn along with her. Severus decided it was best to stay close by, so he could keep an eye on his ever-growing family. Ron and Hermione took turns apparating to St. Mungo's to bring healers to the Shack to check on Lavender.

Soon, Christmas was upon them, and one evening about a week before Christmas, Draco went to bed, checking on the 3-month-old twins in the adjoining nursery before he joined his wife in bed. She was healed now, and he wanted to show her how much truly loved her. When he pulled the covers back, though, she was listening to music on a muggle device Hermione had gifted her with shortly after the births; they were getting closer all the time, and Draco knew they finally had family.

_"And every time I see your face_

_The oceans heave up to my heart _

_You make me wanna strain at the oars_

_And soon I can see the shore"_

Lavender was singing softly as Draco leaned down to kiss her, removing the strap of her night-gown. He liked the fact that she wasn't rushing to get her weight back down; he'd seen far too many skinny girls over the years, so he truly appreciated her new, curvier self.

"Lavender," Draco said, removing the headphones from her ears. "I want you."

"I want you, too, Draco," Lavender said, turning her music player off and turning to face him in their bed.

"I love you, Lavender."

"I love you, Draco."

**AN: Hey, just wanted to let you know that I don't hate Poppy Pomfrey, but in this story, I think it kind of works, having her be like that. She loved Albus, too, but she it never occurred to her that he would run off with Minerva, or that they'd have a child together. Jealousy can really twist people.**

**As for Severus, I like the idea of him being more intertwined than we first thought. And I could definitely see him being the protective patriarch.**

**We're coming down to the line, folks. Hang on tight, I still have some twists and turns for you.**

**Review!**

**ladykyo**


	16. Animal Instinct

**Every Time We Touch**

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

Yes, the song last chapter was half in English and half in Japanese; I love that song, and if any of you have heard it or seen the anime it is from (_Bleach_), then you'll know why I used that particular song. Not only is Lavender more than she first seemed, I don't think anybody expected that of Pomfrey, hmm?

**555555555555**

**Chapter 16: Animal Instinct**

**_Animal Instinct,_ the Cranberries**

**Suddenly something has happened to me  
As I was having my cup of tea  
Suddenly I was feeling depressed  
I was utterly and totally stressed  
**

Hermione, Ron and Lavender were sitting in the kitchen at the Shrieking Shack having their morning tea a few days after Christmas. Lavender and Hermione each had a twin, feeding the infants from bottles while Ron busied himself making the tea and keeping the women from having to do anything else for a while; he definitely didn't' want to be handed a baby instead. Lavender was humming to Sev while Hermione rocked Ei-lily.

"Hush, darling," Hermione cooed to the wriggling infant. "You're so big now; I can hardly believe how quickly they've grown, Lavender."

Lavender laughed as Sev managed a very Draco-like scowl at such a young age as she pulled the empty bottle from his mouth. In a less Draco-like burp the little boy passed his gas and stared at his mother for a while. She smiled at him but his expression never changed.

"Neither can I, Hermione, but I'm glad they weren't this big when they arrived!" Lavender laughed, tickling Sev, who almost glared at her as he was trying to get back to sleep.

"I meant to ask you, Lavender: why are the twins able to focus their eyes and manage expressions and their other motor skills so early?" Hermione asked, studying the now-drowsing Ei-lily.

"No-one really knows, I guess," Lavender said, putting the sleepy Sev against her shoulder. "We never knew differently until we started having muggle-borns and squibs. For some reason, all magically gifted children develop this quickly."

"Perhaps it is to balance out how slowly we age and how long we live," Ron said, and both Hermione and Lavender stared at him. He scowled at them before continuing. "Yes, I do occasionally listen when Hermione and Lupin are discussing theory, you know. But I also knew a family that was all magical save the last child, a little boy who died when he wasn't much older than your twins, Lav.

"The little boy was a squib, and the healers told his parents as much, and to treat him more carefully because of it. They didn't listen, and through their neglect, the boy died because he couldn't do things for himself like magical children could. The parents were brought before the Wizengamot, found guilty of neglect, and lost their wands as punishment. In the end, they had to leave their other children with family and withdraw from the wizarding world."

"That's awful," Lavender said, clutching her son to her shoulder. "I'd never leave Sev and Ei-lily like that. How could a mother, or a father, ever do something like that?" Lavender was disturbed by the story, but her old predatory instincts still kicked in. "Ron, which family was it?"

"You should have gone to work for the _Daily Prophet_, you know?" Ron said in mock-disgust. "I'm not telling you."

Lavender was about to get loud when Hermione spoke up.

"He doesn't know, Lavender. He's probably telling you something he was told by someone else. Look at his left eye; he's squinting just a bit to keep from winking at you," Hermione chuckled. "But I wouldn't mind hearing more about the development of wizarding children and the longevity issue."

"Well, when Bill and Fleur were talking about having their own brood," Ron cleared his throat looking pointedly at Hermione, who blushed, "Fleur said she wanted kids, but she was afraid to have any in a time of war, because what if something happened to them? She didn't want to have a whole bunch of kids and have them killed off because they're Weasleys. Bill said that there was a way around that, to make sure their kids always got home safe, and"

"Say that again, Ron," Hermione said, cutting him off.

"What? Fleur wants her kids to be safe?"

"No. The other thing."

"She's afraid of the war? We all ar"

"No, Ronald! What did your brother say to her about safety and the kids coming home?!" Hermione said, jumping out of her chair and waking Ei-lily, who squirmed towards her mum. Lavender reached up and Hermione gave the girl to the other woman.

"Oh. That's it! Your brother he had the key all along," Hermione said, turning to leave the kitchen.

Ron grabbed her while Lavender stood up, balancing the twins against her shoulders.

"Hermione, what did Bill have all along?" Ron said, his eyes wide. "We can't have another traitor in the family, Hermione. It'll kill Mum and Dad."

"He's not a traitor, Ron, but I think he's talking about horcruxes."

"Bill's a good wizard what would he know about horcruxes?" Lavender asked, following Ron ad Hermione from the kitchen and into the large living room.

"It's a long shot, but I think that the horcruxes aren't meant to make you immortal, but rather to give you . . . um," Hermione chewed on a lock of her hair while she tried to think of the right term. "Another chance. It's like when muggles talk about 'near-death' experiences. Like you and Harry had, Ron. But instead of it being medicine or whatever Ginny, Minerva and I used, it is a horcrux."

"What are you talking about, 'Mione?" Ron said, looking at her strangely.

"Each horcrux found and destroyed was a chance that Voldemort used! I'm not sure, but I'll do some research and talk with the others. Help Lavender put her twins to bed, Ron. Tell them a story; tell them the war is almost over."

**555555555555**

**Do you know you made me cry  
Do you know you made me die  
**

Hermione raced down to the laboratory where Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy were bust brewing horcrux-finding potions and trying to come up with a horcrux destroying potion. Neither noticed her until she yelled at them.

"Draco, Snape," Hermione said as she entered the basement lab. Neither man acknowledged her.

"Draco. Snape." Nothing.

"Ferret-boy and the Greasy Black Git!!" Hermione shouted, and both men turned to her with matching expressions obviously meant to scare her. But Hermione was too excited.

"Finally. I need your help. One of you needs to go and get Albus, Minerva, Remus and Tonks, at the very least. Contact Bill, and bring all of them here. Perhaps Sirius should come along, too. I need everyone who knew Tom Riddle and lived through the first rise of Voldemort and the death of James and Lily. Whoever isn't doing that needs to go to Hogwart's and bring me back every book on life magic, death magic, horcruxes, and anything else that looks remotely pertinent," Hermione ordered, all in one breath. The men just stared at her, not moving. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Draco looked at Snape. "I'll go to Hogwart's; Madam Pince will have a hard time keeping me out, but the school's warded against you in places, Da."

"I'll go play nanny, then," Snape sighed. "Anything else, Granger?"

"Draco, you go. Snape"

"Severus, please, Hermione. I'm not a teacher anymore, just a grampa. "

Hermione shuddered at the thought; how exactly would Sev and Ei-lily turn out? She pushed the thought aside and spoke.

"Fine; Severus, please find every book in the house that has pertinent information and bring them to the living room. And when you leave to round everyone up, get Lavender and the twins to a safe place. This isn't going to be pretty. Hope you have a will, just in case, Draco," Hermione said, all business. Both men nodded, and Draco apparated away with a POP! while Severus joined Hermione in a hunt for books in the Shrieking Shack.

**555555555555**

**  
And the thing that gets to me  
Is you'll never really see  
And the thing that freaks me out  
Is I'll always be in doubt**

"What exactly are you trying to research, Granger?" Snape said, poring over his stack of books, which was dwarfed only by the pile of books Hermione was surrounded by. "Do you think that Harry can make his own horcruxes to give himself some added defense?"

Hermione shook her head, her eyes never leaving the book she was ensconced him, an old Latin text that most other witches would have overlooked. She chewed on a lock of hair while her eyes ran over the pages, looking for all the world as if she were only glancing at each page. But her mind was such that she could take in the entire meaning of the page in a glance.

"No, Severus. Keep reading off the book and chapter titles and subtitles; I'll know what I'm looking for when I hear or see it," Hermione said in a distracted voice. "That will be easier than trying to explain everything to you."

This went on for about another quarter of an hour, with Hermione reading one book while Snape read the pertinent information to her from others. Finally, Snape slammed the book in his hands shut. Hermione was startled out of her book, and she glared at the professor in front of her.

"Granger! Tell me what we are looking for, or you can do it yourself! I have potions to be brewing and grandchildren to be attending, and your fool's errand is keeping me from both," Snape snarled, standing and towering over Hermione, whose eyes were wide as her mind raced should she tell him everything?

"Tell me, Granger. Dumbledore isn't dead, and part of you knows you can trust me. Listen to that part or let me get to my other tasks."

"Fine. I believe that the horcruxes are not an assurance of immortality but rather 'chances' one can make in life so one may come back, in a scene rather like what muggles call 'near-death experiences'. In short, when one dies and 'sees the light', the horcrux enables one to fight back to the realm of the living. Voldemort had seven horcruxes, almost all of which have been destroyed. I don't think that he has any left; the prophecy must refer to the horcruxes as well while any horcruxes remain, Harry must fight, and Voldemort will keep rising. That's all I've come up with so far," Hermione said, out of breath from the long explanation.

"Very good, my girl. I couldn't have come up with such a perfect idea myself," Albus Dumbledore said as he and Minerva came down the stairs, holding hands. "Tom Riddle's diary, the Peverell family ring, Slytherin's true locket, Hufflepuff's cup, the Ravenclaw artifact, and Gryffindor's sword; that leaves one, last horcrux: Nagini, Voldemort's beloved snake."

Hermione frowned, "But, sir, we still haven't encountered most of those items; and how can you be sure that the locket is actually gone?"

"Regulus destroyed the locket, or rather, used up that chance it was a mission given to him because he was the only one who could do it; I gave him the mission myself. The cup and the artifact have already given him the 'chance' they held. Gryffindor's sword was used just recently, as a matter of fact, by all the reports I've been given. Now all we have to do is track down Nagini," Albus said with a chuckle that made Hermione and Snape squirm.

"If you're sure, sir," Hermione said, frowning. "I never thought this would be so easily handled. But it still begs the question: why does Harry have to do all this?"

"Hermione, he has us to support him: all he has to do is strike the final blow."

**555555555555**

**  
It is a lovely thing that we have  
It is a lovely thing that we  
It is a lovely thing, the animal  
The animal instinct  
**

Ron had been helping Lavender settle the twins when Draco had shown up in a hurry. Draco had given him some short instructions, then left. Ron went in search of Hermione and whoever else was in the house. He left Lavender tucked in with her children and entered the living room, where the voices were coming from.

"Mind filling me in?" Ron said, entering the room and sensing the tension. His hackles went up and he moved protectively to Hermione's side, stepping between her and their former potions professor. Ron slid his arm around Hermione's waist, silently offering comfort the way only a partner can. "Snape, I see you decided to be helpful again. Must have to do with the holidays."

"Shut up, Weasley. Or are you jealous that I spent the day reading to your fiancée?" Snape sneered at Ron; the older man saw nothing more in Hermione than her intelligence and utility to the Order. But he did enjoy tweaking the youngest Weasley boy's nose whenever he could.

"Stop it, both of you. Testosterone should have to be checked at the door," Minerva said in a truly exasperated voice. She was hanging off Albus as if she would never let him go ever again; Ron looked at them and saw himself and Hermione in time.

"I love you," Ron whispered to Hermione, just for her to hear. Her eyes lit up as she turned to look at him. He smiled at her, and Minerva and Albus shared a look.

"I give up. I'm going upstairs to get Lavender and the twins ready for transport. When you need me, let me know," Snape said, shaking his head in disgust. Young love sickened him, but love older than him? That was downright nauseating.

Albus, Minerva, Ron and Hermione had all forgotten that Snape was even in the room. The waved to him and he hissed, turning to leave.

"By the way, when exactly are we going up against _him_?" Snape said, just as he reached the door leading to the stairs.

"As soon as Harry feels ready, Severus, my boy," Albus said after thinking for a moment.

"I was afraid you'd say that."

**555555555555**

**  
So take my hands and come with me  
We will change reality  
So take my hands and we will pray  
They won't take you away  
They will never make me cry, no  
They will never make me die  
**

Albus and Minerva had gone off to some other room in the Shrieking Shack, leaving Ron and Hermione alone in the living room. Ron led Hermione to a sofa and sat down, pulling her onto his lap. He stroked her back while they sat in a comforting silence. Hermione leaned down and snuggled into Ron's chest, thinking. The silence settled over them, but after a while it had to be broken.

"What are you thinking about, Hermione?" Ron asked the inane question. Inane because he knew what she was thinking about, but important because he knew she needed to think aloud to clear her head and continue her process. He and Harry had been doing this with her since they were eleven, after all; Ron chuckled as he realized that was probably his best learned lesson in the eight years he'd known Hermione.

"Nothing in particular," Hermione said lamely.

Ron sighed; he knew this game well.

"Which 'nothing in particular' this time, 'Mione?" Ron said, purposely using the endearment.

"What Albus said. We are all here to support Harry, while he has to strike the final blow. But how are we to know if we've gone through all the horcruxes, when Voldemort is finally out of chances?" Hermione said, sitting up straighter and chewing on her lip.

"Well, if each one is a chance, all we have to do is catalog how many chances he's used up," Ron said, letting Hermione ruminate on the idea. He put his hands up and started ticking the 'chances' off on his fingers. "First horcrux used in his first uprising and defeat as Tom Riddle; second was the minor hex that was only able to hurt him because of his weakened state; third horcrux was used in his first botched revival; fourth was used when his curse bounced off Harry; fifth was used in his second botched revival was used; sixth was used when Harry defeated him again at the Tri-Wizard Tournament; that means he used the seventh horcrux to revive himself after the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Hermione, this is the last defeat. Harry is the only one who can truly defeat him for the final time, but he only has to do it once more. Hermione, we've already helped carry Harry we only have to help him once more, and it's all over. Then we can have our life back, everyone can have their lives back."

"Then that's what we do. But how do we tell Harry and Ginny about this? Harry will be ecstatic and more than eager, but Ginny"

"Won't take it well at all. Bill and Charlie are coming back, and Fred and George are already here. And you're here, Hermione. If things start to go south, maybe we can get her to stay with Lavender; besides, it would be best if Lavender had some protection."

Hermione regarded Ron with a bemused look. She quirked an eyebrow, and Ron grinned sheepishly.

"Ya, I guess that wouldn't work, huh?"

Hermione just shook her head and let Ron hold her. The next few weeks were going to be rough, and it would be best for them to take their leisure while they could.

**555555555555**

**And the thing that gets to me  
Is you'll never really see  
And the thing that freaks me out  
Is I'll always be in doubt**

"Harry, Ginny," Draco shouted to his comrades as he finally caught up with them. Harry and Ginny had been flying laps around the quidditch pitch to keep up their conditioning. Unfortunately, Ginny had 'fallen' off her broom, and Harry was helping her when Draco showed up.

"Could you have any worse timing?" Harry groaned, rolling off his wife. The students weren't back at Hogwart's yet, and Harry and Ginny had been enjoying what would have been a long roll in the grass under a warming charm when Draco appeared to find them.

Ginny quickly rearranged her robes over her unbuttoned denims and wrinkled shirt, glaring at Draco. Suddenly, she was smiling.

"Or did you just come to watch?" she said innocently. Draco's nostrils flared while Harry made strangled sounds. Ginny grinned evilly until Harry pinched her bum.

"Stop that! I'm here to bring you back to the house. Hermione's had a breakthrough, and you're needed," Draco said, turning his back on the newlyweds.

Ginny froze at Draco's words. He was walking away, back towards the Shrieking Shack, and when he was out of earshot, Ginny turned to Harry.

"You can't be think of doing this alone, Harry," Ginny said immediately. "Everyone is behind you. We are all here to help you. But do not go alone, you have to promise me that, Harry."

"I love you, Ginny," Harry said simply. "But I have to fulfill the prophecy, whether we all like it or not. And the only other people mentioned are Ron and Hermione. They'll be with me when I fight him, Ginny, not you. I need to know that you'll be somewhere safe, away from where he could get you."

"No, Harry, you don't get to make that choice. I'm your wife, not your pet. And I will bloody well be near, so I can offer my help to you or any other person who needs it. I'm not going to stand by and let people die and be injured when I am strong and can fight."

"I don't suppose I could point out that I'm the man and you're the woman, and I know what's best for you?"

"If you do, then I'll point out that you'd still be a bachelor and virgin if I'd done what 'you knew best' back in my fifth year and just left you."

"Minx."

"Randy lad."

"I love you, Ginny."

"I love you, too, Harry; that's why I can't let you protect me this time."

**555555555555**

**  
The animal, the animal, the animal instinct in me  
It's the animal, the animal, the animal instinct in me**

Everyone assembled at the Shrieking Shack by that evening. Time was passing strangely for everyone in the Order, now that Albus was back and Lavender had her babies and had been moved to a safe house. Draco had not been allowed to go with his family as Lavender and the twins were going to be using a secret-keeper. Lavender had shyly asked Hermione if it were okay for Ron to be that secret-keeper, and Hermione had assented. Ron left with Lavender, her twins, and Albus, and only he and Albus had returned.

All were surprised when Draco finally broke down; he'd dealt with more than almost anyone save perhaps Harry and Albus. Ron's arrival Lavender-less had caused Draco to howl as tears rained down his face. Severus took him aside and administered a modified Peace Draught to help him compose himself. All the Weasleys were there, save Percy and his wife, Penelope. Fleur busied herself making coffee while everyone gathered in the living room to hear Hermione's news.

After she explained, Hermione waited for questions. Arthur and Molly were speechless. Sirius, Remus, Tonks and Roz were all quiet.

"So we need to track him down, and finish it. Remus and I should contact the were community," Bill said, shivering. He'd suffered greatly, even thought he didn't always transform with the moon. Remus nodded, and Tonks looked genuinely scared.

"Well, my dragons will be there when I get back, so I'm all in," Charlie said, standing next to Hermione. "Anyone else?"

Ginny and Ron both got up to stand with Hermione as well. Fred and George followed, and finally Harry stood.

"I appreciate all of this, but Ron and Hermione are the only ones who'll be going in with me. We'll need the help to find him, and Chang, but we'll be finishing them off," Harry said, looking around the room.

"We are all going, Harry," Ginny said, reaching out for his hand. "We'll all hold you up so you can end this. It is the least we can do, after all you've done for us, all your sacrifice. Love is you weapon; let us surround you with it."

"Besides, I really want to kick Cho Chang's ass."

**555555555555**

**It's the animal, it's the animal  
It's the animal instinct in me**

**It's the animal, it's the animal  
It's the animal instinct in me**

"We don't even need to go looking," Arthur Weasley said, his voice sad. "They are holed up at the Ministry of Magic. Scrimgeour is dead, by Chang's hand, I assume. I had word from Percy when it happened."

"You didn't tell me that, Arthur," Molly said, her voice high. "I was worrying over Percy for nothing! He and Penelope are fine? Are they on their way, too?"

Arthur hung his head. "I didn't want to tell you, and I don't know that I would have if Hermione hadn't made her discovery. Percy wrote me because he is Voldemort's aid, and Penelope is some sort of lady-in-waiting for Chang. I was sick over the post when it arrived. He was asking if we'd reconsidered joining the winning side."

Every red head in the room was gasping for breath at the revelation. Ginny was crying and Ron was pacing, angry and shaking. Even Fred and George were speechless; Bill and Charlie were trying to comfort their parents.

"I understand how hard this has been and will be for you, Arthur, Molly," Albus said, his voice grave. "But you know what will happen if they survive this coup. They will both go to Azkaban for the rest of their natural lives, denied even the Dementor's Kiss for their war crimes. I can promise you that not one of you children will kill another, though."

It was Molly who spoke finally. "I don't care, Albus. He's not my child anymore, and I can't even bring myself to ask protection for him. He turned his back on us long before he ever removed his presence from my table."

The rest of the evening was spent planning for the coup. It was planned for the next day, early so they could have some element of surprise; Voldemort had his own pet sibyls, so surprise would be hard to come by. Everyone called it an early night after they procured their battle clothes.

As the lights silently went out in every room of the Shrieking Shack, not one person remembered that it was New Years Eve.

**555555555555**

**AN: Here it is, one of the last chapters of Every Time We Touch. There will probably be about 3 more chapters and an epilogue. Don't hold me to that, though; I like to write, and sometimes the chapters grab me and run.**

**stick with me; we're almost to the finish line!**


	17. Salvation

**Every Time We Touch**

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

**555555555555**

**Chapter 17: Salvation**

**_Salvation,_ the Cranberries**

**_To all those people doing lines  
don't do it, don't do it  
Inject your soul with liberty  
it's free, it's free  
_**

It was eerily calm when everyone woke early New Year's morning. Strange silence had settled over the Shrieking Shack, and it was that silence that woke Hermione and Ginny. They met up in the kitchen, each girl thinking she was the only one up and moving. Ginny had started a pot of tea when Hermione entered the room.

"Good morning, Herms," Ginny said softly, her attention on finding enough tea for a large pot. "You couldn't sleep, either?"

"It's hard to sleep when it is so quiet; I'm not used to it," Hermione said, stretching as she rummaged through the cupboards for breakfast fixings. She rubbed her stomach and turned to Ginny. "Something feels strange, different."

"As if the world was waiting for something," Ginny said, sharing a look with her sister-in-law. "Perhaps we can use this time to plan your wed"

CRASH!

"I do hope I get an invite," Cho Chang had blasted her way into the Shrieking Shack, and she was hell-bent on some destruction to start off her new year.

Hermione and Ginny back up towards the sink, wands out. Chang warded the kitchen against intruders and fortified the room for a battle royale. Chang cackled and raised her wand, shooting off sparks and cracking different objects in the room. The pot Ginny had been making tea in was the first to go, followed by dishes Hermione had brought from her and Ron's flat.

"It was bloody rude of Harry not to invite me to your nuptials, Ginny. Were you afraid he'd see the light and leave you at the altar, along with all the other red-headed destitutes in your retinue?" Chang continued to break things, and she was about to start on people when Harry finally heard the commotion and broke through the wards she'd placed on the room. Ron was right behind him.

"Harry," Chang said, and for a moment, her voice and face softened, and she looked like the upperclassman he'd had such a crush on. But her eyes fell to the band on his finger, and her face grew harder than before. "You buggering bastard. I don't care if you lived the first time _he_ will kill you this time, and I'll be his queen. You'll just be dead."

Chang turned on Ginny.

"But you you'll be my toy. I learned a thing or two from Bellatrix, did you know that? Time I started practicing!"

Chang pointed her wand at Ginny, who couldn't bring her wand up in time. Both Chang and Ginny disappeared, and all that was left was Chang's voice.

"Come play at the Ministry with me, Harry. We'll have New Year's revels!"

**555555555555**

**_To all the kids with heroin eyes  
don't do it, don't do it  
Because it's not, not what it seems  
No, no it's not, not what it seems  
_**

No-one had expected Chang to do what she had done. Hex Ginny, or perhaps hurt her, but to basically kidnap her, taunting Harry. It was too much; Ron and Hermione kneeled down beside Harry, all three crying. It was juvenile, and they knew it, but there are times when crying is the only thing you can do, whether it fixes anything or not.

"She took took Ginny and now," Harry was tripping over his words, his brain feeling as if it had been through a hurricane. He was shuddering, sick to his stomach as he thought of what his wife would be subjected to. Chang had learned from Bellatrix that was bad enough. But Ginny _wasn't_ just a toy to Chang she was the ultimate enemy, the one person who stood between Chang and Harry, between Chang and the life she'd thought she'd have.

Ron wasn't much better. Ginny was his only sister, his baby sister, and the only Weasley younger than him. They'd been as close as the twins, and now Ginny was in danger. Hermione just hoped he wouldn't blame Harry for the situation. It was completely Chang's fault, but blame and actual responsibility rarely fall to the same person.

Finally, the other occupants made their way down into the kitchen. Molly and Arthur were first, and Molly's face was ash as she saw that her only daughter was gone. Arthur helped Ron and Hermione get Harry off the floor, while Minerva held Molly as she sobbed. Tonks and Lupin were next, and while Tonks started swearing, Lupin threw his head back and howled, truly howled, at the loss of the girl who had been like a daughter to him. The news spread like wildfire throughout the house and the Order.

By nine am, the Golden Trio had come to their conclusion:

_This ends today!  
_

**555555555555**

_**Salvation, salvation, salvation is free  
Salvation, salvation, salvation is free  
**_

No-one bothered trying to keep Harry, Ron and Hermione from readying themselves. Harry and Ron donned their thickest quidditch leathers, pro-quality stuff they'd bought so they could start an Aurors quidditch league for fun. All that had been put aside when they'd been assigned to Hogwart's, so they figured they should use them for something. Hermione rummaged through her own Aurors' robes until Tonks came 'round with leathers that fit Hermione perfectly.

"We always thought we just might manage to get you on the pitch," the older Auror joked weakly. The full moon wasn't for another week, but with tension running high and the possibility that Greyback would show up, Lupin had forced down a goblet of Wolfsbane, and he was suffering some effects. Tonks was trying to make him stay home, but he was having none of it. But Hermione was too preoccupied to offer advice.

"Thank you, Tonks. He'll be fine, but I think he'll be better than fine if you just let him help us," Hermione said distractedly, pulling off the night-clothes she'd been wearing and pulling a clean under-shirt on, to go under her leathers. She was so distracted that her typical modesty had deserted her as well. Tonks averted her eyes from the younger woman's figure, but not before she'd noticed things about her friend. Hermione was no longer the little girl Tonks had met; she was a woman, a woman who was getting married at some point and would have children.

"I'll be downstairs. We'll leave as soon as Harry says go."

"Fine."

Tonks let herself out of the room while Hermione fastened the leathers on her body, wincing as she realized that they'd never been readied for wear. It squeaked quite a bit, and Hermione bit her lip at the sound. She stretched the leather by stretching her body, rolling her arms and legs to make the leather give. After a while, the leather wasn't giving much, so she pulled out her wand and cast a weathering spell. The leather almost immediately gave a bit more, without compromising its protective properties. For a moment Hermione wondered why they hadn't been given dragon leather, but then it dawned on her: no-one had expected to be heading to battle so soon, and dragon leather takes too long for any sort of fast application.

Staring at her new self in the mirror, Hermione shivered. She was encased in leather, head to toe; her leather was in rich shades of brown, shiny and supple with the spell. Her boots had a slight heel and she groaned at the inappropriateness of the image; they were going off to battle, and yet when they'd been thinking about Hermione, all they could think of were heeled boots? If it hadn't been for the situation at hand, she'd have laughed.

"Gin, we're coming for you."

**555555555555**

_**To all those parents with sleepless nights  
(sleepless nights)  
Tie your kids home to their beds  
clean their heads  
**_

Harry and Ron readied themselves in another room, next to the room where Charlie and Bill were helping Sirius and Remus. Charlie and Bill had dragon leathers from previous missions, but like Hermione, the other two-thirds of the Golden Trio were in quidditch leathers. Ron's were deep browns like Hermione's, but with red undertones whereas Hermione's had honey tones. Harry's were flat black. Harry's eyes were flat, and had been ever since Chang had taken Ginny. Ron worried over his friend; would Harry be able to focus while he worried over his wife?

Remus and Sirius were gearing up as well, but neither was feeling very talkative. They took dragon leathers from Bill and Charlie Weasley, after trying to get the boys to give them to their own parents. Arthur and Molly would be going to the Ministry as well, but they wouldn't take the leathers from Remus and Sirius. Arthur had brushed them off, though; he and Molly wouldn't be anywhere near the main battle. They would be running around the Ministry, gathering up any who were still loyal to Dumbledore and 'good', while capturing those loyal to Voldemort.

The house stayed quiet. No-one laughed. Very few words were spoken. Everyone knew his or her role. And everyone was depending on Harry, Ron and Hermione to keep it together. And Harry was beginning to break.

**555555555555**

_**To all the kids with heroin eyes  
don't do it, don't do it  
Because it's not, not what it seems  
No, no it's not, not what it seems  
**_

Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall Dumbledore were waiting in the living room of the Shrieking Shack when the motley crew assembled in front of them. Minerva was standing near the fireplace, pacing while they waited. Albus sat in a large chair, looking like a large, wizard Santa.

"We're here. What do you have to say before we leave, Grandpa?" Harry said, using the term purposely. Ginny had been there that night, too.

"I wish you good luck, and I want you to know that I have never meant for it all to come to this, Harry. James wouldn't have wanted this for you, either," Albus said, tired. Minerva stalked to his side, eyeing her grandson.

"Are you all up to apparating to the Ministry by yourselves?" Minerva asked, hovering next to her husband. They, too, would be joining the battles, and she feared losing him again. Her anxiety was spreading to the rest of the room, and Molly shifted uneasily while Tonks's hair began shifting colors randomly.

"Yes. The only one who was new to apparation was Ginny," Charlie said in a quiet voice. He hadn't spoken much, so his voice was a surprise to the other occupants. Bill had ordered Fleur to stay away from the Ministry, but everyone would be surprised if she actually listened to him. She'd rarely left Bill since he'd been attacked by the werewolf. Often Molly had joked with Hermione and Ginny that neither Fleur nor Bill actually existed anymore, but rather a new being, BillFleur had taken their place.

"Time to go," Harry said flatly, and he apparated away without another word.

POP!

Ron followed, and Hermione followed him. Everyone apparated without speaking again, and then there were two.

"Albus, do you think we'll all make it?" Minerva asked quietly, getting ready to apparate.

"I have the utmost faith in our grandson, Minerva. And I have faith in you," Albus said, rising and cupping his wife's face in his hands. "And that's enough for me."

**555555555555**

**_Salvation, salvation, salvation is free  
Salvation, salvation, salvation is free  
_**

The Ministry was eerily quiet as Harry, Ron and Hermione apparated in. A dull mist had settled in the hallways, obscuring the floor. They formed a spearhead, Harry as point and Ron and Hermione on either side, flanking him so none of them had an exposed side. Faraway sounds, scuffling could be heard. Every once in a while a spark would arc against the dark walls, and a wail would rise. The Deatheaters were falling, but the Trio wasn't naïve enough to think that their side wasn't doing some falling of its own. About three-quarters of the way down the seemingly endless hallway, Harry's hand shot up to his scar, and he dropped to one knee.

Ron took the offensive forward position while Hermione dropped down to check on Harry. His eyes were glowing green, and his scar was burning white against his flesh. His chest heaved as he stared towards the end of the corridor.

"Ginny," Harry growled, rising to his feet. Hermione tried to help him, but he threw her off. "It's me you want, you bloody bastard! You let Ginny go, and then all you have to do is kill me. But hold onto her, and we'll all come to kill you!"

Ron shared a look with Hermione, before opening his own mouth. "Ginny, we're coming for you, and we'll kill Voldemort for this! Everything ends today!"

"And Ginny and I will kill you ourselves, you bloody cunt!" Hermione chimed in. Harry and Ron would have stared at her in any other situation. She was obviously addressing Chang, whom Ron and Harry had almost forgotten about. Forgetting about Chang was out of the question, though; she would be difficult to deal with, and they had to be prepared.

With Harry back on his feet, the Trio hot-footed it down the corridor. Auror training tried to keep them in the defensive formation, but the prophecy had them now. The Boy-Who-Lived, the King and the Lioness were heading for destiny, and nothing could stand in their way.

**55555555555**

_**Salvation, salvation, salvation is free  
Salvation, salvation, salvation is free**_

The Trio made it down to the room where Voldemort was waiting, and as they entered, the huge door clanged shut behind them. Wards settled over the room, making it impenetrable. Ron and Hermione flanked Harry, who was crackling with power.

"SO nice of you to join us, Harry. No mudblood mum to save you?" Voldemort said, not even rising from his makeshift throne.

"Didn't you say that last time, Tom? And if I recall correctly, you aren't a pureblood, either," Harry said, tossing back the best thing he could think of.

"Shut your mouth!" Voldemort said, starting out of his grotesque chair. "I am an heir of Slytherin! And I will have the most powerful line of them all!"

"You can only name one founder in you blood, and the weakest one at that. Do you know who I am?" Harry said, sneering at the farce of a man in front of him.

"You the half-breed brat that everyone thinks can save them. But look at this, dear boy: I have a pureblood wife, and I'll have the most powerful children this world has ever seen. And I will be immortal and all-powerful."

Ginny was lying at Chang's feet, passed out. Her body was spasming periodically, a sure sign that she'd been subjected to the Cruciartus Curse, but she was also cut up in places. Every so often, Chang would kick Ginny, cursing at her.

Ron and Hermione were relatively ignored, but they knew what they had to do. Hermione threw back her cape, exposing her leather-encased body, and sneering at Chang, she spoke.

"You know, I think I have more to offer than you. I may be muggle-born, but I am the most powerful witch of the age. Hope Voldie loves you, Chang, or else you're out of another job," Hermione said, her voice thick with loathing. She had no idea where the words were coming from, but they were working.

Chang stopped paying attention to Ginny, and Ron started to move. He broke the wards holding Ginny, and helped her up and out of the way. Chang started to advance on Hermione, cursing in Mandarin.

"What? Are you too afraid of me to say it in English?" Hermione was baiting Chang, and it was working. Chang raised her wand and shot off a few warning sparks, orange tongues of flame that licked the edge of Hermione's cape.

"You whore. He cheated on me with you, that's why I had to break up with him. You couldn't be happy with a pro Quidditch player, you had to have the Boy-Who-Lived. And now you have the Weasel King, and you just passed Harry along to someone else, sloppy seconds, and you think to speak to me!" Chang roared, he face contorted with anger.

Voldemort caught part of what Chang said, and his pallid skin went even paler.

"Did you call him the 'Weasley King', Cho?" His voice was deadly quiet. Harry pulled his wand out while Voldemort turned his attention to Chang. "You baited them all to come here, didn't you? You took the girl because you were jealous. You said only the Boy would come, for his wife. You didn't mention that she was a Weasley!"

Chang's eyes were wide as Voldemort advance on her. "I got him here, didn't I, Tom? You wanted him, and I brought him here. But I had to do something about her!" Chang pointed to where Ginny had been, but Ron had already moved her. Ginny was waking up, and she was already on her feet, wand in hand. Ron and Hermione had their wands out as well, but neither villain was paying any of them much attention.

"And the Know-It-All she's Gryffindor, too! Cho, _you_ fulfilled the prophecy by bringing them all here! This is all you fault!" Voldemort screamed, his wand at her throat. "You will pay for this, I swear it. Ava"

"Avada Kedavra!"

Voldemort's wand shot out green fire, licked up Chang's body just as Harry's wand shot out green lightning, destroying Voldemort. Harry's curse cut Voldemort's short, and Chang was left barely alive. Harry turned to his friends and offered his hand to his wife. Ginny shook her head.

"Not yet, Harry, not until this is well and truly over," Ginny said, walking over to stand over Chang. "You don't know what it is like to be tortured by her. She has an illegal time-turner. I know it's only been a few hours for you, but she'd had me for days. Hard to believe that it all came down to her petty jealousy."

Hermione held Ron back, keeping him from keeping Ginny from her own destiny.

"If you kill her, it'll be over for her, Gin. She'll never pay for her crimes. And you'll feel it on your heart forever," Harry said, but he wasn't really trying to dissuade her. He was just warning her.

"I'm not going to use the Killing Curse on her, Harry. I won't dirty my wand like that."

Ginny pulled a knife out of a sheath no-one had notice. It was a wicked, curved, long knife. Ron shuddered as he saw it, and Hermione knew immediately why.

"Do you recognize this, Chang? You used this on my brother, and now I'm goin to use it on you," Ginny said, kneeling down next to Chang, carefully running the flat of the blade along her cheek.

Ginny turned the blade, cleanly slicing Chang's ear off. It was not a fatal blow, but it didn't have to be.

"The curse on this athame will take care of you, but you'll feel it all the way. And so you know, Hermione lifted the curse you put on my brother. But there is no-one to save you."

Chang coughed, not even crying out from the slice. Her eyes were glazed, but she cackled maniacally as Ginny cleaned the blade on Chang's clothing.

"Why are you laughing, bitch?"

"Because I finally found the brave Weasley. Your brother cried and begged, and spied to save his life. But Tom killed him in the end. And now you know who lured Ron on that mission."

Chang was gagging on her own blood, and not one of the Quad leaned down to help her. Harry put his arm around Ginny's waist, guiding her towards the door. Ron broke the wards, but Hermione waited a few long moments while Chang died. She kneeled down and closed the deranged woman's eyes so she couldn't stare at them as they left.

As they left, Hermione turned around as warded the door to the room shut. They'd come back later, after counting their dead and wounded, to clean up and close that chapter.

"Harry, this is it, isn't it?" Ginny said quietly, snuggling in close to him.

"For now, Ginny. For now."

**555555555555**

**There it is! We've come so far. Not much more to go at this point.**

**Please review and private message me about this chapter. If you truly hated it, maybe I can revise it for you all.**

**lady-kyo**

**Brenna of the separate-sisters**


	18. Promises

**Every Time We Touch**

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

Before I get flamed about Ginny in the last chapter, I'd like to point out that she _was_ tortured by Cho Chang; I just didn't want to take that fic there. I love Ginny as the strong woman, and strong women do what they have to do – whether on not it is right or good.

I also want to dedicate this chapter to connieewing, one of my loyal readers and reviewers. I'll have to private message you. . . I wouldn't mind having a beta, if you catch my drift. (grins evilly) Without her wonderful reviews, I don't know that I would have been able to produce so much for you all.

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed me. I'll try to mention as many of you as possible before this is actually over. I still have some twists for you, loves.

**555555555555**

**Chapter 18: Promises**

**_Promises,_ the Cranberries**

**_You'd better believe I'm coming  
You'd better believe what I say  
You'd better hold on to your promises  
Because you bet you'll get what you deserve_**

Harry and Ginny were inseparable as they walked the halls of the Ministry, Ron and Hermione at their sides. Hermione was systematically checking for survivors while closing the eyes of the dead. Each side had lost some, but the Deatheaters had been almost completely destroyed. Whatever remnant had managed to escape would be tracked down and destroyed by whatever means necessary.

The losses on Dumbledore's side, as the Quad liked to refer to their allies as, were minimal compared to what they'd expected. The first body they found was that of Kingsley Shacklebolt, whom Pettigrew had impersonated. Hermione had lost it when she saw the kindly man in the rigors. Ron had closed his eyes with an old prayer before he conjured a blanket to cover him. The Auror corps had been decimated. Tonks would have much rebuilding to do, and their fears were confirmed when they found Moody's body: they'd have to help her build up the corps. They were much saddened when they saw how many of the Aurors were actually Deatheaters.

"How could we be surprised, Harry?" Ginny asked in a tired voice. "How else would they have been able to get so close to you, to Hogwart's, so many times?"

Harry shook his head. They still hadn't found Albus or Minerva, or their other compatriots. He wouldn't be able to think until he found his grandparents. The rooms were more and more depressing as they continued, death everywhere they looked, people whom Harry had never met who'd gladly died so he could live and defeat Voldemort.

A hand clasped Harry's shoulder, and he whipped around, wand at the ready.

"Harry! It's me, Draco," Draco Malfoy said, out of breath and his left arm hanging at an odd angle. "Da and I have been looking for you. We have our wounded, and we're ready to apparate back to the Shack, but we need your help. We can only side-along so many people, and I don't think he should be doing it at all."

Hermione was busy examining Draco's arm while he spoke, and as she prodded, he hissed in pain.

"Granger! Some tenderness, please," Draco tried to drawl in a sultry voice, but his pain came through more than anything else. "I think a Goyle fell on me. The arm's been useless since then."

"It is broken, and may be shattered. Roz and Minerva will have to look at it, too, but I think you'll need Skelegrow before the day's through," Hermione said, conjured thick strips of cotton cloth. "I'm going to swaddle your arm to your body so you don't damage it further. It is going to hurt a bit."

"Bit my ass. Here, chomp on this," Ron stripped some leather off one of his armguards. He passed it to Draco, who rather obediently bit down on it while Hermione wrapped his arm.

When she finished, Draco dropped he leather from his mouth and howled. "Bloody hell, Granger, I think that works better than the Crucio for torture."

Hermione ignored that as Draco led them to where the other survivors were waiting. Tonks was bleeding from a long gash down the side of her right arm, while Lupin was on his back, both legs broken. Albus and Minerva was scratched and bloody while Severus was limping, favoring his left side; Bill had already apparated some of their side back to the Shack so he could alert Roz as well. Fred and George were on either side of Charlie, who'd lost an arm.

But Sirius was the worst. Someone had used the Cruciartus on him, and he was curled up in a corner, drool pooled around his mouth while he alternately shook and screamed. Harry ran from Ginny to his beloved godfather. Sirius was broken, and Harry had seen what the curse had done to the Longbottoms. He stood before Sirius, shaking in fear.

"Sirius," Harry whispered, reaching a hand out to the older man. Suddenly Sirius looked much older than his years. He shrank back from Harry's hand, whimpering. Harry took a deep breath to keep the tears from falling and knelt, coming closer to Sirius, slowly but surely.

"Harry, don't!" Albus shouted, rising from his seat next to Minerva. "Sirius will be fine, but if you coddle him too much now, his mind will never know the need to come back to him. I know it is hard, but you will have to let someone else apparate him back to the Shack. Bill already told Roz that Minerva will attend to him. If you and Roz treat him as an invalid, or mentally deficient, we will never get him back."

Ron grabbed Harry's arm before he could touch Sirius. Ron shook his head and Hermione stepped forward, carefully holding Sirius and apparating away. Ginny came up beside her brother and joined him, holding Harry.

"Harry, we need your help to get the rest of our wounded home. Help Tonks with Remus, please," Minerva said, her voice high and thin in her distress. Albus was weak from the day's ordeals, and she was focused on him and his needs. Harry moved woodenly towards his supervisor and her mate. Remus was floating between semi- and complete unconsciousness. He put his arm around Remus and nodded to Tonks, who apparated first. Harry followed while Ginny and Ron walked over to their older brothers.

"Charlie," Ginny said sadly. Losing an arm could mean the end of Charlie's beloved career. His favorite dragon would be laying soon, and he probably wouldn't be there; he'd be in recovery for ages. "Charlie, Ron's going help get you back to the Shack. Fred and George are going to help here, and so am I, but you need to get to the Shack so they can have a better look at you."

Charlie was in almost the same semi-conscious state as Lupin. Fred and George passed him to Ron, moving so he could get a better grip on Charlie. In an unexpected gesture of affection, both twins pressed quick kisses on the top of Charlie's head. Ginny did the same and Ron flashed a quick, strained smile before he apparated the both of them away.

"Gramps, what are we going to do now?" Ginny asked, hands on hips. The old man really could vex her at times. This was one of them.

"Someone will apparate you back to the Shack, where you will help with the wounded. Then we will apparate everyone from here back to the Shack. Then we wait," Albus said, standing and checking on the other wounded.

"For what?"

"For whatever. Even when you are on the winning side, and the side of good, there are unexpected consequences."

**55555555555**

_**She's going to leave him over  
She's going take her love away  
So much for your eternal vows, well  
It does not matter anyway.  
**_

It was hours before all the wounded had been sorted out. Sirius and Charlie had both been taken to St. Mungo's, while Lupin had been fixed up at the Shack along with Draco, who'd refused to be treated until Lavender and the twins were back at the Shack with him. Severus was at the Shack as well, but he was . . . weak. Lavender and the twins spent a good deal of time with him while Draco was being looked at, giving him time to make memories. He'd made Lavender bring him a pensieve, and every few minutes while he was holding and playing with the twins, he would pull his memory out to put in the pensieve for them. Lavender was trying not to cry, but seeing the crotchety old Potions Master like this was breaking her heart. Her parents wouldn't accept them, so Severus would be all the grandparent her children would get.

"Severus, you don't have a choice," Lavender whispered as Severus clung to life. "You have to survive, so they'll know the unconditional love of their grandpa."

Severus coughed, and Ei-lily tensed in his arms, her eyes seemingly searching his. She screwed her face up as if to cry, but instead she chirped out a sound.

"Gran"

"sa"

Severus shot Lavender a shocked look, suddenly more alert and in less pain. Lavender looked as surprised as Severus. Ei-lily took another breath and said it again.

"Gransa."

"I know we develop more quickly, but this is . . . Is she trying to call you 'Grandsire'?"

"Magic," Severus breathed, holding his granddaughter closer, breathing in her baby-smell. She snuggled closer, crying a bit as his arms lost their strength.

"Gransa!" Ei-lily shouted, and she pounded a tiny fist against Severus's shoulder. His breathing was ragged, and Ei-lily closed her eyes tightly, a green light suffusing her body. Suddenly, Severus gasped, breath coming quickly and his arms regain their strength.

"Ei-lily," he breathed. This was the third time the old magic had flared among the inhabitants of the Shrieking Shack. "Lavender, you passed on the old magick."

"That answers one question."

"That question being?"

"You two are going to be completely inseparable."

Severus smiled at his granddaughter before turning his smile to Lavender.

"That's just as well, daughter. You've done well."

Lavender smiled as tears gathered in her eyes. Small as it was, Draco's family was hers, well and truly. **AN: if only happy ending were so quick for everyone else!**

**555555555555**

_**Why can't you stay  
Here a while  
Stay here awhile  
Stay with me.  
**_

Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Harry were standing in the very same kitchen that Ginny had been kidnapped from that morning. For Ron, Hermione and Harry, it had been but a day. For Ginny, it had been days, perhaps weeks; the Cruciartus made it hard for her to discern how long Chang had tortured her.

Hermione was making tea when the summons came.

A disembodied voice washed over the Quad as a roll of parchment appeared in front of Ginny.

"The accused, Ginevra Molly Weasley Potter is hereby summoned to trial before the Wizengamot to stand charges on the murders of Cho Lei Chang, Percy Ignatius Weasley, Penelope Alecia Clearwater Weaseley. Also summoned are Harold James Potter, Ronald Bilius Weasley and Hermione Jane Granger, implicated in the murder of Peter Plessy Pettigrew, Percy Ignatius Weasley, and Penelope Alecia Clearwater Weasley. Please place your hands on the parchment in front of you as it is a port-key that will transport you to trial.

"Thanks you for your time and possible future discomfort, the Magical Law Enforcement Agency."

"They actually think we'll do it?" Ron said incredulously. Hermione was about to tell him off, but the voice cut back in.

"Sadly, since you have not accepted the parchment, we will be forcibly apparating you to trial. Now."

The Quad could barely breath before each one POP-ed out of the Shack.

Albus showed up just as the voice had finished speaking. Groaning, he put his hand over his eyes.

"Minerva! Get Severus ready. We'll be needed shortly."

**555555555555**

_**Oh oh oh oh oh oh  
All the promises we made  
Promises we made  
All the meaningless and empty words I broke  
Broke broooke  
**_

They took Ginny first. An invisible force grabbed her and brought her into the room where the Wizengamot waited. Harry, Ron and Hermione couldn't enter until the tribunal had Ginny positioned for trial. When they got in there, Ron once again had to restrain his best friend due to the sight that greeted them.

Ginny was restrained in the trial chair, leather straps holding her firmly into the chair. All the wizards seated before her were unknown to the Quad, and they knew that boded ill for the trials. Ginny had stopped struggling, but her eyes were fierce as she glared at the thirteen wizards and witches before her.

A particularly noxious man stood and spoke.

"As speaking representative of this iteration of the Wizengamot, I, Finn McGreeley shall read the charges against Mrs. Potter. Accusation the first: the murder of Cho Lei Chang; accusation the second: the murders of Percy Ignatius Weasley and Penelope Alecia Clearwater Weasley; accusation the third: conspiracy to marriage of the old blood," the man said, his greasy hands wringing themselves as he presented the charges.

"What? I did not murder Cho Chang she tortured me for days! And I would never hurt Percy, or Penelope. He's my brother, and she's my sister-in-law, gits that they are," Ginny said, and she started to struggle again. "And what about marriage of the old blood?!"

"Silence!" McGreeley said. "You will answer the questions, not ask them. Now, you say that Cho Chang kidnapped you early this morning and tortured you for days, if not weeks? How can that be possible, Mrs. Potter?"

"She had an illegal time-turner, _sir_," Ginny used the title as if it were an epithet. "Every time the sun would seem to be going down, she'd turn the damned thing again. It went on for days, until I finally passed out."

"So you admit that you held a grudge against her for the imagined torture?"

"It wasn't imagined!" Harry couldn't control himself any longer. "Chang kidnapped my wife and tortured her for days look at all Ginny's injuries. There's no way that she could have sustained those kind of injuries, some of them half-healed, in such a short time."

"Mr. Potter, we shall try you after we try your wife. Keep in mind that you are both under suspicion to conspire marriage of the old blood."

Ron clamped a firm hand over his brother-in-law's mouth while Hermione held Harry from attack. Ginny spat at the older wizard's feet. The farce of a trial continued, with the Wizengamot trying to pin all the murders on Ginny, and it was only getting worse when Harry was brought up for questioning.

"I find myself tired, and I still feel gratitude to the Boy-Who-Lived, yet I do not know him well, nor do I particularly care for him upon our meeting. Therefore, I call Dolores Umbridge to try Harry Potter!" McGreeley said, bowing to let the toad of a woman through. She grinned evilly as she climbed up on a stool to address the council.

"I was this young man's headmistress for a term, and I think I know him and his character quite well," Umbridge sniffed, addressing the Wizengamot. "He was disobedient then, and I would willingly testify that both the Weasley girl and Granger were conspiring to marry power with the two boys, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. They were unwitting victims of the girls' lust for power"

"You bloody wretch! How dare you talk about us that way?! Who do you think you are Rita Skeeter?" Hermione shouted, red in the face. She could withstand a lot, but to be accused in such a way when she finally had Ron's ring on her finger it was too much, even for her.

"No, dear, but I am," the buggish woman said, stepping forward from the shadows. "And I know what you've done over the years, Hermione. Remember, an old foe is the most dangerous."

"Enough!" a thunderous voice roared over the Wizengamot.

The cavalry had arrived.

**555555555555**

**_Oh oh oh oh oh  
All the promises we broke  
Promises we broke  
All the meaningless and empty words I spoke  
Spoke spooooke  
_**

Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall Dumbledore and Severus Snape apparated in all at once. It had been Albus's voice that had finally stopped the chaos that had been about to ensue. While he and Minerva stared down the new Wizengamot, Severus Snape set about loosing Harry's bonds. Ginny was standing with Ron and Hermione, but Harry rushed to her, grabbing her and squeezing her tightly, as if to assure himself that she was still there.

"What on earth do you think you're doing, McGreeley?" Minerva's voice cracked over the trial room. "You have no right to call the Wizengamot to punish these four for the downfall of Voldemort, or Cho Chang."

Dolores Umbridge was the first to raise her wand. She was muttering something, and all it took to stop her was a hard slap across the face.

SMACK!

The toady woman landed hard on her ass on the floor, and she stared up at the one who'd hit her.

"I never thought I'd enjoy hitting a woman, but I guess you don't count," Ron snarled at her. "That's for everything you've done to Harry and my family."

Umbridge didn't recognize what he'd said for a moment, but then it registered. The detentions, the quidditch, Fred and George having to leave school.

"I didn't do anything Dumbledore shouldn't have done," she sniffed smugly.

CRACK!

"Shut up!" Minerva hit her that time, sick of the woman's act. "It was your fault that Albus wasn't there, you bloody Deatheater."

"Stop."

One word from Albus had everyone frozen. Minerva returned to his side while Harry and Ginny stood with Ron and Hermione; Severus alone stood between the couples and the Wizengamot.

"How do we know you're the Albus Dumbledore you certainly don't look like the Albus that left," Umbridge said, smirking.

"Surely you recognize the aging charm that I had to use before; it comes from the same family of charms that make it bearable for people to look at you, Dolores. Unfortunately for you, charms can't hide the ugliness of your soul," Albus was usually nicer, but the woman put him on edge. What she'd done to his grandson was inexcusable.

"Then what is your relationship with Minerva?" Dolores knew that was the only way to get the upper-hand: accuse Albus and Minerva of conspire to marry power. Unfortunately, she also knew it to be true they were married, and if she didn't do something about them, she'd be next for Azkaban.

**555555555555**

_**What of all the things that you taught me  
What of all the things that you'd say  
What of all your prophetic preaching  
You're just throwing it all away  
**_

"Minerva is my wife. We've been married for more than forty-years," Albus said proudly. "I still love her as much as I did the first day I set eyes on her."

Minerva blushed and ducked her head. "Yes, we've been married for so long, and now we've seen our grandson married."

Umbridge hadn't been expecting that particular twist. She'd always that Harry the ill gets of Potter and Evans; surely they meant someone else. But Harry and Ginny were moving towards Albus and Minerva, and Umbridge felt her stomach drop.

"It was not a conspiracy to wed power. Neither knew Harry's heritage. And it is an old and outdated law, based on fear rather than logic," Albus said, reaching out to clamp a hand on his grandson's shoulder. "Do you have any actual charges?"

"The murder charges still stand, though with you before us in the flesh, we do drop any and all accusations against Severus Snape," McGreeley said, his voice thin with anxiety.

"All my thanks," Severus drawled. "As you may know, I am the most powerful Legilimens, now that Voldemort is dead."

The entire Wizengamot cringed at the name, and Albus scowled at them.

"He's gone; what sort of tribunal are you to be scared of a dead man's name?"

Severus nodded in agreement. "To make this go faster, and prove the truth of what has already been said, I offer you my talents, to prove the innocence of the heroes before you. Know that if you refuse me, we'll all know that the charges are knowingly false, and we'll try you."

The Wizengamot nodded in agreement; no-one was going to cross the former Deatheater and most powerful Legilimens.

"Mrs. Potter, if I may?" Severus motioned, and Ginny obediently sat. "We shall begin."

**555555555555**

**_Maybe we should burn the house down  
Have ourselves another fight  
Leave the cobwebs in the closet  
'Cause tearing them out is just not right  
_**

The long and tiring day dragged on into the long and tiring night, with Severus pushing himself to the limit to prove that the Quad was innocent. He was ready to drop by the time the council was satisfied. Dolores Umbridge and Rita Skeeter were both arrested, Umbridge for being a Deatheater and Skeeter for being an unregistered animagus. McGreeley apologized profusely while the rest of the Wizengamot cringed back in fear from Albus Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard of the age.

"Albus, I wish to vacate my seat, and let you resume as head of the Wizengamot," McGreeley said in something akin to a whimper.

"I shall help you rebuild, but then I shall leave it to you, McGreeley. I have a family that I feel I have neglected over the years. Once I have you set up, I assume you will let me be unless it is a matter of life and death," Albus said, turning to lead his motley crew out of the Ministry for the second time that day.

"So shall it be, Albus," Minerva murmured as they left. "So shall it be."

**555555555555**

_**Why can't you stay  
Here awhile  
Stay here awhile  
Stay with me  
**_

Everyone was completely exhausted when they got back to the Shrieking Shack. Each couple went off to their own room, most of them only removing their outer cloaks before falling into bed. They decided to leave the sorting out for the next day.

Harry and Ginny were the first ones up the next morning. They took a leisurely shower and Ginny was drying her hair when Harry finally spoke.

"I think we should take Sirius with us, Gin. Not now, but once he's starting to recover. We're all he has," Harry said, sitting on the bed while Ginny stood, drying her hair with a towel.

"What about Roz?" Ginny said, a little distracted.

"She'd all but forgotten about him, until I brought him with me to the pub."

"That's not her fault. You can tell that he was never far from her thoughts, Harry. Plus, we'll be rather busy soon."

"Your Auror training is half-completed, Ginny, and Ron and the rest will help rebuild. Once you graduate, it won't be too bad."

"Harry, trust me, just after graduation it will soon be getting quite busy."

"Ginny, stop being so cryptic."

"I didn't want to say anything until I saw Pomfrey, but now I don't think I have a choice."

CRASH!

"Harry!" Ginny cried, running over to Harry, who'd slid off the bed. "Are you alright?"

"Are you trying to say what I think you're trying to say?"

"Yup. And twins, to boot!"

"Now no-one will believe that I married you out of love."

SMACK!

"Stop that. Does it really matter what everyone else thinks? I love you, but you have got to stop thinking about what everyone says or thinks about you or me or us, or anything, for that matter!"

"And that's why I love you."

"And I just thought it was because I was pregnant."

"GINNY!"

**555555555555**

**_Oh oh oh oh oh  
All the promises we made  
Promises we made  
All the meaningless and empty words I prayed  
Prayed praaaayed  
_**

Ron and Hermione spent the night awake in their rooms, holding each other. They couldn't sleep, anyway, and they had much to say; but they couldn't bring themselves to speak.

"You know I'm marrying you because I love you, not because you're powerfully pureblooded, right?" Hermione whispered in the silence.

"I know. And I feel the same way how powerful you are doesn't enter in," Ron said, snuggling his nose down in Hermione's hair.

"I can't believe everything that's happened in such a short period of time. And there is still so much to do."

"I know. But we're all together, and nothing that has to be done has to be done alone."

"Like planning the wedding?"

"Um. Well, no. I'm letting you deal with that, love. If you want help, you'll have to find it on your own."

"Ron!"

"Unless you want a Chudley Cannons themed wedding."

FWAP!

"Why'd you hit me with that pillow, 'Mione?"

"Because you deserved it. Now kiss me so I'll forgive you."

"As my lady wishes."

**555555555555**

_**Oh oh oh oh oh  
All the promises we broke  
Promises we broke  
All the meaningless and empty words I spoke  
Spoke Spooooke  
**_

Tonks watched over Remus as he rested. His legs were healing quickly, a benefit not only of wizard healing but also his 'affliction' as he liked to call his lycanthropy. He had taken a sleeping draught, so he was out until he was healed. Tonks brushed his hair back from his face and pressed a small kiss to his forehead; suddenly, he was calm. He smiled in his sleep and turned towards her.

"Remus, I'll need you. I can't believe I had so many traitors," she whispered.

He lay silent, but calm flooded from him to her.

"I can't do all this alone, and the kids need time to hone their instincts. You'll have to divide your time between teaching and the Auror corps. You and Sirius, both."

At the mention of his last surviving best friend, Remus sighed in his sleep.

"He'll be fine, Remus. He's just as stubborn as you are."

With one last kiss, Tonks, too, fell into a dream-filled sleep, full of hope and love.

**555555555555**

_**Oh oh oh oh oh  
All the promises we made  
Promises we made  
All the meaningless and empty words I prayed  
Prayed praaaayed  
**_

"Albus, did you mean what you said?" Minerva said as she sat on the porch with her husband, a warming charm keeping them from freezing.

"Which?" Albus said, sipping his brandy. Minerva had poured them each a drink, because they couldn't sleep.

"You'll help the Wizengamot a bit, then come back to be with your family?"

"Yes. I wouldn't want our great-grandchildren to attend Hogwart's except under our watchful eye."

"It is so good to have you back, my love."

"I know, Kitten. It is good to be back."

**555555555555**

**_Oh oh oh oh oh  
All the promises we broke  
Promises we broke  
All the meaningless and empty words I spoke  
Spoke Spooooke_**

Oh hey oh hey oh hey ...

Everyone managed to make it down to the main room by a bit after noon for a meal. Roz had sent for food from the pub, even though she wasn't at the Shack. She'd gone to St. Mungo's to be with Sirius, and Molly and Arthur came back for a bit before they returned to St. Mungo's to watch over Charlie. Fred and George were busy in their makeshift workshop in the basement (space they'd stolen from Severus's potions lab, much to the older man's chagrin). After a while, they emerged with something for their parents to take to Charlie.

"Here you are, Mum," Fred said, passing Molly a large sack.

"It's for Charlie," George chimed in.

"So he can go back to work, when he likes," Fred finished.

Molly looked at her twins before she opened the sack, pulling out a perfect replica of Charlie's arm. She sent them a questioning look as her eyes teared up.

"Is this what I think it is?" she asked, the tears spilling out.

"Yes. We aren't healers, so we can't put it on him, and it won't be exactly the same, but the healers should be able to use this. And because we did it so quickly, he should more use of it than if he had to wait for one of the standard issues from St. Mungo's," George said.

"Oh, boys!" Molly cried, throwing her arms around the twins. Arthur joined them, along with Ron, Ginny and Bill. "We have to go now, Arthur."

Arthur nodded, his throat too thick to speak. They apparated away, leaving everyone speechless.

"I think we're all in need of a good, family banquet," Albus said, arm around Minerva.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, still dumbfounded from Ginny's announcement. They'd not told anyone yet.

It was a good meal. But Hermione had something on her mind.

**555555555555**

**Wow. Sorry, the story grabbed me and ran. There's still a bit to come. I wonder what else I'll do to our favorite couples and what's going on with the Snapes?**

**later with love**

**ladykyo**

**Brenna of the separatesisters**


	19. Not Alone

**Every Time We Touch**

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

**Chapter 19: Not Alone**

**_Not Alone,_ McFly**

**_Life is getting harder day by day  
And i don't know what to do or what to say  
And my mind is growing weak every step i take  
Its uncontrollable now they think I'm fake yeah  
_**

It was a strange few months between the fall and Ginny's graduation. She and Harry had yet to reveal their impending arrivals, because they were waiting to see if they would survive the healing process after Chang's torture of Ginny. She attended classes and lived at the Shrieking Shack during the week, but most weekends she spent at Godrick's Hollow with Harry, fixing the house up and setting up the dual nursery. Albus was re-instated as Headmaster; Minerva couldn't bear the thought of running the school while he could do it. And Ginny and Harry were quite sure that they'd figured out Ginny's condition on their own, but at least they were being discreet.

Sirius managed to recover from his injuries, though his memory wasn't what it had been. The healers said even that would recover, in time. For the time being, he was living with Roz at the Three Broomsticks, helping her run the place. But he'd secretly been setting things aright at the Grimmauld house, in hopes that he could bring Roz there, perhaps have a family. The way he looked at it, if Molly and Arthur managed to have that many, he should be able to have a few with Roz. Rumor was that they'd already started, though. Harry laughed every time Sirius tried to casually caress her stomach, which was growing slowly but surely.

Draco and Lavender were busy with their own twins and their work. Both were Aurors, but with the corps decimated, they had to help train new people. Severus had resumed his position at Hogwart's, but he had enough time to take care of the twins while their parents worked. It was quite a sight to see him bouncing a baby or two while grading a paper or sneering at his students. Grandparenthood surely wasn't going to soften him towards his students.

Charlie was getting used to his new prosthetic, though the healers weren't quite as happy about his progress: now all amputee patients were ordering devices from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, which greatly upset the prosthetic monopoly applecart. Charlie had been lonely until he met with a healer-turned Auror, Sioned McCairn. She was a lovely red-headed half-blood who came from legendary muggle fertility. Molly was sure that grandbabies and a wedding would be happening soon.

Remus and Tonks, Nia as he now called her, were taking over the Shack as their own. Nia was out of sorts over the fact that she'd managed to get pregnant in the midst of everything that had been going on. She was even more out of sorts when Molly took her to St. Mungo's for a check up and it was revealed she was having quadruplets. After a bit of research, Hermione carefully pointed out that lycanthropes tended to breed multiple births. Remus had spent a few nights at Grimmauld Place with Sirius while Nia cooled off. They'd come to an agreement not to have any more kids until the first four were at least at Hogwart's. Molly and Arthur had laughed them off, point first to Fred and George, then to Ron and Ginny, explaining that was what they had thought.

Ron and Hermione were a special matter, of course, as they were planning their own wedding. Well, at least Hermione was. Ron was busy with Harry and Draco, training new Aurors with Tonks and then taking over once she had to go on bed rest. Hermione was stuck with all the details, but she was now in Ginny's position months ago: Molly and Fleur hovering, trying to help.

"I'm going to kill your mother, Ron, and it will not be my fault," Hermione said one morning, quite vexed.

Ron was getting ready for another long day at the Ministry, interviewing applicants in the morning and condition and training in the afternoon.

"No you won't, love. You're just saying that because I think you're cute when you're threatening," Ron said, dropping a kiss on her forehead. He fastened a light cloak in deference to the chilly April air. "If you want them to leave you alone, you'll figure out a less permanent way, I'm sure. Besides, I really don't want to get married at Azkaban."

"They wouldn't send me to Azkaban. Any woman who's had to plan a wedding with her incipient mother and sister-in-law would stand next to me, giving testimony that it couldn't possibly be my fault."

"You keep thinking that. I'll probably be late again. Don't wait dinner for me."

"Uh-uh. I moved the meal to eight o'clock, 'cause I figured you'd be at work for a while. Your mother will be there, as will my parents. You show up or I'll castrate you."

"Eep." Ron knew she was kidding, but Hermione could be as blunt as Ginny when it suited her. "I'll be there, but just for you."

"Coward."

"Yup. Bye, love."

"Yellow git."

"I'm really leaving."

"Still a coward."

silence

"Damn. He really did leave this time."

**555555555555**

_**Well I'm not alone  
But not alone**_

_**no no no no no  
I'm not alone  
**_

It was quite a production getting Molly Weasley and Jane Granger together. Mrs. Granger was jovial but unused to the magical world. Mrs. Weasley was jovial but unused to someone who had no knowledge of magic. Fleur was at a loss for words (_For once_, Hermione had thought evilly) at the muggle woman's composure and elegance. Everything was fine until Jane started coughing. The blood came quickly this time, and Molly wouldn't rest until Jane let her cast a quick healing charm.

"What is it you do, Molly?" Jane asked once the coughing fit stopped.

"I raised my children and ran my household. I had trained some as a healer, but I was pregnant about a minute after Arthur and I married," Molly chuckled, but Jane's eyes were flat at the comment.

"So you just stopped? You never finished your training?" Jane asked, incredulous. "What about your career? I can tell you're talented, and your manner is impressive."

"With seven of my own, I got to use my training everyday, Jane. Especially with Fred and George around. They've always liked to use Ron for their experiments," Molly laughed.

Hermione caught her mother's eye. Jane had . . . ideas about what women should do and not do, how they should be independent, and had completely forgotten that just because she burned _her _bra doesn't mean that every other women has to. But Jane wouldn't be stopped once she started.

"Did Arthur tell you to stay home, and quit your training?"

Molly stopped laughing abruptly. "What exactly are you trying to ask, Jane?"

"Did you choose to be a wife and mother, or did Arthur tell you what to do?"

Molly bit her lip for a moment, and Hermione knew it was a nervous habit the older woman had picked up from her; Hermione always chewed her lip when she was trying not to say the wrong thing, as much as she may have wanted to.

"No, Jane. Unbelievably, some women see the women's liberation movement as a movement of choice: stay home, work, both but all on each women's terms. Or don't you see it that way?"

"I just want to know what you're going to expect of my daughter. I don't want Hermione forced to whelp every year or so, just to keep your overly fertile family happy! I made my choice after that first time, I never went without plenty of birth contr"

"That's it. Get out. You can come back for the bloody wedding, but you will shut your mouth and leave, so Hermione can plan in peace. You will not do this," Ron's voice boomed over the women in the kitchen. "I don't know why you chose now to air your dirty laundry, but get out."

Jane turned around to see Ron storming in through the backdoor, and she paled. She hadn't meant to say everything, but after seeing how many sibling Ron had, she'd been worried for her daughter. She turned to Hermione.

"Darling, why don't we stop for a spot of tea" she began, but Hermione cut her off.

"Not now, Madam. Mum's right; this is about a choice, and I choose to back up my fiancée you need to leave so this wedding can be planned in peace. And you know, I always thought Da would be the one to have a problem with this. Sorry I happened," Hermione said bitterly, rising and going to the backdoor, which Ron had left open. "I would be an ungracious hostess if I didn't show you out. And that was one thing you taught me how to be polite when I was mad enough to spit nails. I ring you later this week to get your guest list."

Jane Granger couldn't believe what she'd said to her own daughter. She loved Hermione, but all her fear about magic and Hermione's job and the sense of loss once she changed her last name it all came to a head, and Jane had fought it. And she'd lost.

"I'm sorry, Hermione, Molly. Please let me know as soon as possible, and I'll make sure I don't interrupt you again. I'll tell your father not to bother tonight. He and I have to talk, I think. But please, send the bills to us; that's one thing I can do right," Jane said, grabbing her coat and practically running from the house.

"I'm sorry, Mum," Hermione said to Molly, coming to stand next to her and hug the older woman. She'd been a mum to Hermione for so long, she sometimes forgot that her own mum was quite different. "She can be a bit narrow-minded, but I never thought. . ."

"Don't worry, love. She's afraid she'll lose you completely to the wizarding world, and to us and Ronald. She loves you too much, and that's why she acted like that. Now come here; you're never too old to be held," Molly held her arms out and Hermione let her hold her and comfort her, even crawling into Molly's lap. She was right; you can never be too old to be held. Ron gave Hermione a quick peck on the cheek before he left to get what he'd forgotten.

On his way back out of the house, Ron stopped to say something.

"Hermione, I would never 'make' you stop doing something or start something else. Firstly, it'd never happen you're too stubborn. Second, I love you too much. Your mum was just trying to scare you. I'll be back early, so we can taste the cake, if you like," Ron said with a smile before he stepped outside to apparate back to the Ministry.

Hermione climbed out of Molly's lap, feeling sheepish. She straightened her clothes and sat back down in her chair, ready to plan.

"So here's what I'm thinking. . . "

**555555555555**

**_And I, I get on the train on my own  
Yeah, and my tired radio keeps playin' tired songs  
And I know that there's not long to go  
When all I wanna do is just go home  
_**

It was decided that the ceremony would take place after Ginny's graduation. Everything was a flurry of excitement, with planning and ordering things and all the family animosity. Hermione had tried multiple times to contact her parents, but all she ever got was their answering machine. She'd owled them a few times as well, but the only response she got was a curt: 'Just send us the bill.'

It was about a week before the final headcount when Hermione and Ron finally made it over to the Granger's for a last-ditch attempt to fix things. They surprised Hermione's parents just after supper time, and the older couple was a wee bit more than displeased at the surprise.

"Hermione, we told you, anything you want, just send the bill and we'll forward it and the money to Gringott's so it can be exchanged for magical currency," Nathaniel Granger said, not rising from his overstuffed armchair and whiskey. Jane was sitting tensely on a sofa.

"It isn't the money, Da. I want you and Mum there, and I want you to walk me down the aisle. It's what Ron and I want," Hermione pleaded. Her father shook his head.

"Your mother has already explained the situation to me, Hermione. Stay at home wife and mother? And you're already pregnant?" He shook his head. "That's not how you were raised."

"I never said any of that, Mum," Hermione turned to her mother. She couldn't believe how the woman had changed sides so quickly. "You were the one pushing me to get married, to keep Ron the best I could! But how could you lie like that, about something so important, to Da?"

"Hermione, your mother and I have already discussed this. You may invite whomever of our relatives you like, but we will not be attending. It is our obligation as the bride's parents to pay for the wedding, but we don't have to attend."

"I can't believe this! She's your only daughter an' you won't come t'the wedding because you don't want her to be domestic at all? Well, you can keep your money then we don't want it!" Ron shouted and was grabbing Hermione's hand when she stopped him.

"No, Ron, they're right. I have to make some decisions on my own."

Ron blanched. He hadn't come this far to lose her to damned misplaced family loyalty. "They are??"

"Yes. Ron, I want them to pay for the wedding, and I want to make sure we send them pictures of everything that they've decided to pass over. Except for grandchildren. I won't send them any pictures of our children, Ron, because I don't want my children to feel this way, or o be told that they were mistakes, or 'surprises' or anything other that they were wanted and always loved. I spent my entire childhood outdoing everyone else because I thought it would make them love me more, and behaving because maybe then they'd have a sister or brother for me. And I was wrong. Don't worry, all my vendors have your address, Jane, Nathaniel. No need to rsvp."

Hermione apparated away without Ron, who was dumbfounded by the entire exchange.

"Well, you raised her to speak her mind, didn't you? And look where it got you."

**555555555555**

_**Well I'm not alone  
But I'm not alone**_

_**no no no no no  
I'm not alone  
**_

Hermione had spent a lot of time crying, and she thought it was due to the stress of emotional rollercoaster ride of planning a wedding without her own mum. A little pink light at the end of Ginny's wand told her otherwise.

"How could this happen?" Hermione hissed, keeping her voice down. "I thought I'd never get a chance again, or so soon."

"Well, you see, Hermione, when a man loves a wom"

SMACK!

Hermione whacked Ginny but good for her sarcasm.

"That's not what I meant. What I meant was: when could this have hap Oh. Now I know."

Ginny quirked an eyebrow. She knew exactly where he best friend was heading. "You mean you shagged my brother half to death right after he proposed and forgot to cast a charm?"

Hermione nodded.

"Or maybe it's just catching," Ginny said, discreetly waving her wand over her own stomach.

"You, too?"

Ginny nodded. "I wasn't supposed to tell, but I'm sure Harry won't mind if you know. Just don't tell Ron"

"'Just don't tell Ron' what, Gin?" Ron said, striding into the room he shared with Hermione at the Shack. "Bloody Hermione, is that the charm I think it is?"

Hermione and Ginny shared a look before Hermione spoke. "Yup. But I'm not the only one Ginny's preggers, too."

"So that _is_ why Harry married you! I'll kill 'im!"

"RON!" both girls yelled. He stopped and turned back to face them. Hermione stared at him while Ginny cast another charm and giggled.

"Why are you giggling, Ginny?" Ron asked quietly.

"Because not only is this thing catching, it's multiplying!"

**555555555555**

**_People rip me for the clothes i wear  
Every day just seems to be the same  
They just swear  
They just don't care_**

_**They just don't care**_

_**They just don't care  
**_

The planning seemed to go by in a flurry of fittings and tastings and listening to wizard bands. Hermione had long ago decided to marry in a muggle wedding dress, though Ron was going to be wearing his best dress uniform. Harry would also be in his dress uniform, as would Ginny, who'd been accepted into the Aurors program before she'd even graduated. Molly wasn't unhappy that her two youngest had both decided to be Aurors, but she worried over Ginny's condition. Minerva had spilled the beans to the Weasley matriarch, but everyone was taking the news surprisingly well. Nia had agreed that Ginny wouldn't start formal training until she after the birth and the children were old enough to stay with Molly, who by then was seriously considering opening up a daycare for the children of all her family and loved ones.

The colors were warm creams, oranges, reds and golds, matching not only their Gryffindor house origins but their contentment. The flowers were lilies and roses, and Molly had finally decided that the caterers and bakers didn't have it right. She, Fleur, Minerva, Nia and Lavender spent the weekend leading up to the wedding cooking and baking, except for the time they took to go to the Hogwart's graduation ceremonies. Ginny offered to help, but she was needed to keep Hermione out of the kitchen and unstressed.

Early Tuesday morning, while the sky was still dark, Hermione crept out of her bed at the Burrow, which had been magically expanded yet again to accommodate the small guest list. She was the only one up, having not gone overboard at her hen night. Snores issued from the living room, where her groom and all his groomsmen were snoring. Glancing at the scene, Hermione groaned as she remembered having to find enough bridesmaids to match the sides.

At final count, Ron's side consisted of: Harry, the best man; Bill, Charlie, Fred, George and Sirius.

Hermione side had taken some more planning: Ginny as her matron of honor; Fleur, Lavender, Luna, Gabrielle, and Rosmerta.

Ron had refused to consider Draco as part of the groom's party, but Hermione desperately needed bodies, hence Lavender, Fleur and Fleur's sister, Gabrielle, who was actually quite tolerable, when she deigned to speak with Hermione. Ron had jumped at the idea of having Sirius and Roz in their parties.

Remus and Nia offered to stand and give Hermione away, in her parents' stead. Hermione had bawled for a good hour after that. She'd been contemplating asking Albus and Minerva, but Remus and Nia. . . just felt right. She'd thanked them profusely, but Nia had brushed her off, telling her that she was the sister the older woman had never had; why wouldn't she and Remus be the ones to give Hermione away?

Hermione sighed and closed the living room door. She was trying to keep the tradition of the groom not seeing the bride on the day of the wedding, and Ron had the uncanny ability to sense when she woke. It wouldn't do for his first sight of her to be in her old t-shirt on their wedding day. Her stomach was full of butterflies, anyway, and she decided to hit the kitchen first, before her bath.

"Oh, Hermione," Albus said as Hermione rounded the corner coming into the kitchen. "I was wondering when you'd join me."

"Sir?" Hermione asked, confused. Albus was supposed to be coming later, with Minerva; what was he doing at the Burrow so early?

"I wanted to speak with you, about your ceremony."

"Oh. Ron took care of the celebrant," Hermione said, pouring herself some coffee from the pot. Brit or not, she needed coffee to get through the day, not tea. "I wanted to ask you, though, about Remus and Tonks"

"Ah, yes, my dear. Remus and the lovely Nia love you very much, and they asked me first, before they spoke to you. I dearly wanted to be the one to walk you down the aisle, but I fear that I shall have to wait until you bless us with a lovely granddaughter, and perhaps Ronald will relinquish his duty for one day," Albus said sadly. "Do you think that when the time comes, you will be able to persuade Ronald to let me be the one to escort at least on of your daughters down the aisle?"

"I'm sure, Albus, and I promise to make it happen. But why didn't you speak to me?"

"I have other, more important things to take care of today, my child, and I couldn't go back on my word," Albus said, rising from his chair and heading for the door. "'Tis a lovely day for an outdoor wedding, isn't it?"

Hermione nodded, swallowing her tears. _Well, perhaps Minerva will still be able to make it_, she thought to herself, waving to Albus as he left. Her appetite was gone after the short discussion with her beloved headmaster, and she crept up the stair to her awaiting bath.

"Not alone my ever-broadening butt," Hermione muttered as she dropped into the warm water of her bath. She closed her eyes and mentally started her big day.

**555555555555**

_**'Coz I'm not alone  
But I'm not alone**_

**_no no no no no  
I'm not alone  
_**

The guests were seated and as Remus and Nia guided Hermione to the middle of the magicked marble aisle covered with rose petals, she tensed.

"Remus, are you sure I'm standing in the exact middle?" Hermione whispered, waiting for the music to start and the attention to fall on her.

"Yes, I'm sure of it. I measured the aisle and cut a mark into it myself," Remus whispered reassuringly **AN: I paraphrased from David and Leigh Eddings' _Belgarath the Sorcerer_ there, when the wise old sorcerer and his daughter, Polgara, are giving away Beldaran, his other daughter and Polgara's sister. In fact, a lot of this scene will draw from that book, because it is probably my only other competing addiction. . . Or not. On another note, I have a fanfiction from that universe as well . . .**. Remus took her right arm well Nia took her left; the rest of the bridal party was up at the makeshift altar. Hermione couldn't make out the celebrant, but the back of Ron's head was gleaming in the sun, looking as if it was covered in liquid copper.

"Time to get rid of this," Tonks said, tapping Hermione's over-cloak with her wand. The heavy silk brocade fell away and flew to a waiting hook to reveal Hermione's gown.

Hermione had gotten her dress custom made by a seamstress who used to work at Madam Malkin's, a muggle-born witch who understood Hermione's situation. the dress was a cream-colored, corseted confection made of silk with fine cording and beading of the same color, with shadow as contrast. The top of the bodice was tight, pushing her breasts up and out, contouring her body through her torso down to her waist, where the double-skirted bell flared out. The stays had been adjusted a few times, accommodating her growing breasts, and she was tied in so tightly she could barely breath, but she didn't mind. It was her dream dress, offset by her bouquet of cream and multi-hued orange roses and lilies.

"You are beautiful, Hermione. I hope our own daughters are as beautiful as you are," Nia said, kissing Hermione on the cheek as the first strands of music began to play. Remus kissed Hermione's other cheek as he and Nia started guding Hermione down the aisle.

There was no band, and Hermione felt moved to ask one last question.

"Where is the music coming from?"

"A special wedding present from Severus, Draco and Lavender, actually. Severus is actually quite the musician, and with a little help from his growing family, well, a Slytherin is a Slytherin, so I don't really know how he managed this," Remus chuckled at the look on Hermione's face. As soon as the reception started, he knew she'd be pestering the poor Potions Master.

**555555555555**

_**Na na na na's**_

Coz i'm not alone  
La la la la i'm not alone

All eyes were on Hermione as Remus and Nia marched her up the aisle, and she smiled shyly at the guests. Strangely, she hadn't invited any of her family members; every guest was a witch or wizard, of assorted heritages. Hermione kept the sedate pace and smile until she realized who was sitting in the front row, where her mother and father would have sat: Minerva McGonagall, but Albus was nowhere to be seen.

Hermione's smile faded as she thought Albus had truly left without seeing her get married. She turned he attention to Ron and her eyes lit up.

Albus was standing next to Ron, in elegant dress robes with a broad smile on his face, a parchment floating in the air next to him. Hermione laughed, a silvery sound that turned heads. Remus and Nia approached the altar, letting Hermione go a bit a head of them. Albus cleared his throat and addressed the people before him.

"We are here to witness the joining of two great families, two great wizarding powers, the union of two people very much in love. To this union, who gives this woman?" Albus's voice boomed across the sea of guests. Remus and Nia stepped forward.

"I give this woman to this union," Remus said, his voce magically augmented by the magic of the ceremony.

"I also give this woman to this union," Nia seconded, her voice clear and high.

"Witness now that this woman has been given by those in her stead. Is this agreeable to you, Hermione, to be given away?" Albus asked, the ceremony officially started.

"Yes. This union is very much agreeable to me," Hermione said, her voice thick with happiness.

"And is this union agreeable to you?" Albus addressed Ron. Remus and Nia stepped back and joined Minerva on Hermione's side of the guest seating.

"Yes, sir; this union and this woman are both very much agreeable to me," Ron said, looking into Hermione's eyes.

"Very well. Shall we begin the hand-binding?"

Hermione and Ron answered in unison.

"Yes."

"This union will bind together two of the strongest of the age. Two great powers will merge to create a new line, more powerful than before. If there are any who would object, speak now or forgo the privilege till the end of time."

No-one said anything, but Hermione and Ron couldn't exactly say why. Either everyone was completely fine with their union, or the glares coming from Ron's groomsmen were threatening enough to keep everyone silent. The glare from Sirius alone was enough to make Hermione swallow, and it wasn't even directed at her.

"Oi, get on with bit already. No-one's going to object," Fred muttered under his breath.

"Yeah, and if they do, we'll just kill'em," George added, and Charlie shot them a _look_. Both shut up and turned their attention back to the ceremony.

"Good. Your hands, please. Right hands," Albus said, holding his wand out. Hermione put her right hand out and Ron grasped it with his right hand, his hand passing hers to grasp her wrist. A red ribbon shot out of Albus's wand, twining itself around their hands. A gold ribbon followed, and Albus let his wand drop to his side. Fawkes had appeared out of nowhere and was perched on his shoulder, also witnessing the union.

"The union you make today is forever binding, in this life and whatever may exist afterward for you. This union includes a Fidelity Charm, to help you on your journey together. Do you freely accept the charms that will bind your union?"

"I do," the couple answered in unison.

"Ron, do you promise to be faithful to Hermione, e'en until your dieing breath?"

"I do," Ron said, his voice low and hearty.

"Hermione, do you promise to be faithful to Ron, e'en until your dieing breath?"

"I do," Hermione smiled at Ron, and his face flushed red. A silvery white light infused the couple, settling into their skin. they shared a smile as Albus continued.

"Ron, do you promise to be her shield no matter what may come as the years fall away?"

"I do," Ron answered earnestly.

"Hermione, do you promise to accept Ron no matter what may come, and to shield him where you can?"

"I do." A gold light shot out of Albus's wand and settled into the waiting couple.

"Ron, do you promise to provide for Hermione, making sure she never goes without while you may care for her?"

"I do."

"Hermione, do you promise to be Ron's shelter in hard times, invoking _eaving_ to be his safe haven when all seems lost?"

"I do." A soft blue light suffused the couple.

"Ron, do you promise to love Hermione with every fiber of your being until your body is dust?"

"I do."

"Hermione, do you promise to love Ron with every fiber of your being until your body is returned to the earth from which it came?"

"I do."

A bright white light shot out from the ribbons binding Ron and Hermione's hands. The entire crowd was dazzled, and the light settled around Ron and Hermione, setting in with warmth. Immediately, they had a hard time from gluing their lips together.

"So is this union made!" Albus's voice boomed over the crowd, and from out of nowhere, fireworks started going off. "Mr. Weasley, you may kiss your bride!"

Ron dipped Hermione low as his mouth hovered over hers.

"Last chance. The charms aren't binding until we kiss," Ron said, smiling at his new wife.

"I should say the same to you, lover," Hermione said, closing her eyes, waiting for the kiss that would seal their union.

Ron happily obliged, and in truth, probably let the kiss last longer than was strictly appropriate. His mouth met hers and Hermione felt all the love she'd had felt for Ron well up, heating her body and sensitizing her lips. His kiss was chaste at first, but the heat was getting to both of them, and as Hermione gasped, he slid his tongue into her mouth, tasting her anew.

After a moment of tongue wrestling, Hermione nipped Ron's tongue and he broke the kiss, his face flushed and happy. Hermione knew her face was no better, but she took a moment to pat her hair back into place well, as in place as it would get.

"Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Weasley!"

**555555555555**

The reception went off without a hitch. Molly and her crew of merry matrons had made a most scrumptious meal and cake. Albus toasted the newlyweds, as did Harry, Ginny, Sirius, and, surprisingly, Severus. He was becoming quite the leading man as his family grew up around him. What shocked Hermione and Ron was Remus's toast, however.

"Nia and I offered to give Hermione away; she never asked us, she didn't want to impose. That is how Hermione has been the entire time we've known her: she never asks for anything, just a chance to give everyone around her all she has to give. I've always thought of her as the daughter I would never have, though I've been informed that I'll being adding to the brood," Remus said, and everyone chuckled.

"But more importantly, I wanted to say how proud I am, we are, of Ron and Hermione. They've been through a lot, and their love has withstood the tests, and even saved them. Few people deserve the happiness you two deserve. And for that, I toast you and wish you well," Remus finished, lifting his class high. "To Ron and Hermione, may you never love the love that's brought you through so much already. And Ron, if you hurt her, I'll kill you."

The small crowd laughed and lifted their glasses in salute, and then the chanting began.

"Dance, dance. Dance, dance. Dance, dance," the crowd was chanting, and Hermione shared a look with Ron.

"Well, love, time to show them what we're made of," Ron said, standing and offering his hand to Hermione. She smiled warmly and took his hand, allowing him to lead her onto the dance floor.

"I love you, 'Mione," Ron whispered in her ear as the music began.

_The strands in your eyes_

_The color of them wonderful_

_Stop me and steal my breath_

_And emeralds from mountains_

_Frost holds the sky _

_Never revealing their depths_

"And I love you, Ron," Hermione breathed, leaning into her husband as the song wrapped itself around them. Apparently Ron had listened to her so long ago, when she'd spoken of them 'having a song'; Hermione's muggle CD player was in a corner, player music from her world while the band 'The Wandless Weirds' took a break.

_And tell me _

_That we belong together_

_Dress it out with the trappings of love_

_I'll be captivated_

_I'll hang from your lips_

_Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above_

Albus and Minerva watched from a table, their hands clasped together. Minerva leaned her head on his shoulder, sighing.

"What's wrong, Kitten?" Albus said, wrapping an arm around her.

"To be so young, and have so much ahead of them. Twins, Albus. She's having twins," Minerva said, her voice wavering.

"We have our students, Minerva. And we'll be grandparents soon enough," Albus said, smirking.

"What?"

Apparently, Minerva had fond out about Hermione, but not Harry and Ginny. Her eyes grew bright and she cried. Ginny and Harry had been half-right: Albus had figured it out, but not Minerva.

"I wonder what they'll name their children?"

"It doesn't matter to me."

"I know you're lying, but I'll let it pass."

"How gracious of you, my dear."

"This time."

_And I'll be your crying shoulder_

_I'll be a love suicide_

_And I'll be better when I'm older_

_I'll be the greatest fan of your life_

Remus and Nia were sitting at the head table, dividing their time between watching Harry and Ginny and watching Ron and Hermione. Nia's head was on Remus's broad chest, and she was restive.

"What is it, Nia?" Remus asked quietly, mesmerized as Harry and Ron switched partners, Ron dancing with his sister, who must have been giving him quite the advice, according to the poor man's blush.

"Four."

"What?"

"Four children, Remus. That's what quadruplets means. We'll have four children running around, and you'll have to bee gone at least a week each month. How exactly am I to hold it all together while you're baying at the moon?"

"Molly said she'd help, and we have plenty of other friends and family, Nia. And Hermione, Draco and Severus are working on a new Wolfsbane that should help make it easier for me; I may not even be gone an entire week once they have it finished."

Tonks threw herself at Remus.

"I knew I still loved you!"

"Was there ever any doubt?"

"No. But it is a woman's prerogative to change her mind."

"Oh."

"And I do enjoy keeping you off balance."

"Bugger."

_And rain falls angry on a tin roof_

_As we lie awake in my bed_

_And you're my survival, you're my living proof_

_My love is alive, not dead_

Draco and Lavender danced a bit off to the side, murmuring to one another as they dreamed of their own wedding day, which would come sooner or later. Lavender wanted to get the twins settled at Molly Weasley's daycare before she started planning.

"You know, Lav," Draco said, his cheek resting above her ear as they danced. "I think Da has come to like you quite a bit."

Remembering back to Severus and how Ei-lily had helped her beloved grandpa, Lavender felt tears in her eyes as she nodded.

"I think so, too, Draco. And I love our family, strange as it may seem."

"As do I, love, as do I."

_And tell me _

_That we belong together_

_Dress it out with the trappings of love_

_I'll be captivated_

_I'll hang from your lips_

_Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above_

Severus came round to collect Hermione from Harry as the song continued.

"Well, I guess I can't rightly call you 'Miss Granger' anymore, can I?" Severus drawled as Hermione swayed in his arms to the music.

"No, I guess not," she smiled as he turned her gracefully.

"Know-It-All stays, though," Severus mock-hissed. He really was getting soft in his adage, he had decided.

Hermione stuck her tongue out at him. "I know you planned that music for me, and I intend to find out how."

"Can we add a de-lust component to that new Wolfsbane?" Severus wondered aloud.

Hermione playfully smacked him. "You're just afraid you've grown a heart, Professor."

"Severus."

"Hermione."

"Deal."

"Deal," Hermione said, giving Severus a solid, smacking peck on the cheek. "Gramps."

Severus growled as he tried to pass Hermione back to her new husband.

"By the way, so glad you'll be the twins godfather!"

Severus stared after the newlyweds, who were laughing maniacally at his reaction. First a grandpa, now a godfather, again?

"Albus, I blame this all on you."

_And I'll be your crying shoulder_

_I'll be a love suicide_

_And I'll be better when I'm older_

_I'll be the greatest fan of your life_

_And I dropped out _

_I burned up _

_I fought my way back from the dead_

Hermione and Ron finished the dance back in each other's arms. They shared a final kiss before heading back to the flat where this very story truly started, a new beginning in a familiar place.

**555555555555**

**There it is, folks. The end of my opus, my very first Harry Potter fanfiction. I have plenty of other stories up, but I don't know if I'll try Ron and Hermione again anytime soon. I was thinking about doing an epilogue to this story, but unless I get people reviewing and asking for it, this is it.**

**to connieewing: if you are desperate for an epilogue or a one-shot follow-up, all it will take is one very nice review from you (you know I can't deny you, girl!)**

**Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed this story. I love this story as if it were my own child, and I think that it showed. Review and private message if you want more!**

**lady-kyo**


	20. Epilogue: Home Is Where the Heart Is

**Every Time We Touch**

Disclaimer: neither ladykyo nor separate-sisters own the rights to Harry Potter or any of the other characters created by J.K. Rowling. The songs in this fanfiction are the property of their writers and artists. No money is made off of this story … the only benefit is getting this out of my head, and dreaming even more about Rupert Grint. The songs are not the property of the author/authors either. We just borrow'em.

Some notes: This chapter has been written in response to loving reviews from my wonderful readers. So, here's your epilogue. And a special 'thank you' to connieewing,

BTW: The second song from ch. 19 was **_I'll Be_**, by Edwin McCain; it is my boyfriend's and my song (and no, I don't know the most grammatical way to put that. Do any of my readers? 'Cause I'd love to know, just for my own edification)

This is it. Maybe I'll write a sequel someday, depending on how this works out.

**Chapter 20 Epilogue: Home Is Where the Heart Is**

**_Home Is Where the Heart Is, _McFly**

_**We all dream, we have desires. **_

_**Win the cup, and we'll hold it higher, than it's ever been **_

_**Raise your hands and lay down your weapons, **_

_**We could turn this around in seconds right, **_

_**Cause we believe.**_

"'Mione, if you adjust my robes one more time, I'll go mad," Ron growled at his wife, reaching around his back to rearrange his dress uniform the way he liked it. He turned and looked at his wife as if she were the most delectable dessert on the planet. "Besides, we can apparate there now, so what's the hurry?"

Hermione smacked Ron's shoulder. "We can't be late for this, Ron. We promised we'd be on time, and I intend on keeping that promise. And besides, we're not supposed to apparate unless it is an emergency. And this doesn't count."

Ron grabbed his wife's wrists and held her arms to her sides, kissing her fiercely before he let her up for air.

"'Mione, what you do to me. . . Trust me, this qualifies as an emergency."

Hermione let her husband run his hands over her body, relishing his touch as her eyes closed on their own. She moaned as he caressed her bosom through her own dress uniform, opening her eyes a slt so she could see his face.

"Maybe just this once."

**555555555555**

_**Home is where the heart is, **_

_**It's where we started, **_

_**Where we belong, singing. **_

_**Home is where the heart is, **_

_**It's where we started, **_

_**Where we belong. **_

The youngest Weasley couple did manage to make it to their intended venue in time, however, and even managed to beat the Potters and the Lupin's. The Malfoy-Snapes were already there, however.

"Finally! I thought you'd never get here!" Lavender screeched as her hurried towards Hermione, Ginny and Tonks. "We've only been waiting here forever!"

Draco had to smile at his wife's show of affection for the other women. As a girl, Lavender had been catty, deceitful and at times downright nasty to Hermione and Ginny; as a woman, she cherished their friendship and support system. For his part, Draco stuck out a hand and shook the hands of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Remus Lupin while the women reconnected. As if they didn't reconnect every bloody day at the Ministry's Office of Aurors.

"Are you all quite finished?" Draco sneered, and the women turned and smirked at him. "Because if you would like some extra time, we men-folk will go in and honor our arrangement while you cluck at each other."

Tonks smacked Draco upside his head; Lavender seconded it.

"Anybody else?" Draco asked, hands up to defend himself.

"Not right now, no. You, Hermione?" Ginny asked innocently.

"Then let's go inside before they send Hagrid or Maxim outside to get us, shall we?" Remus asked, shuddering at the thought of being flung over on the half-giants' shoulders for the trip.

"Yeah, let's go," Harry and Ron agreed. Each man offered his woman an arm, and escorted them up to the annual Hogwart's Opening Feast, the first time parents had been allowed or invited.

Each couple had at least two children starting this year, and none of them wanted to miss the Sorting.

**555555555555**

_**We will always be united, **_

_**So much more than a game we're fighting now, come and sing with us **_

_**We are the .. know the meaning, **_

_**A thousands army whose hearts are beating, loud **_

_**Feel that they bite the dust. **_

Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall were waiting for everyone to seat themselves before they brought in their latest crop of first years. Minerva had been giggling to herself most of the day while students arrived because of the sheer number of relatives and children and friends that would make up the newest class. Albus had arranged for tables to be set up near the staff table for the parents that had decided to attend, and as he looked to see that his grandson and his wife and friends were seated, he took note that Professors Longbottom and Longbottom were sad.

"Oh, Albus. For their friends to have children here and not them it is rather cruel," Minerva said under her breath, keeping an eye on her House. "Is there anything to be done for them?"

Albus patted Minerva's hand as he stood to open the Sorting, reaching for the honored hat.

"Minerva, time will tell. I find it hard to believe that the gods will not find a way to bless the Longbottoms. You will have to wait and see," Albus said before he turned to address the assembly.

"Friends and family, I welcome you to the first open Opening Feast of Hogwart's School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. We have the honor of entertaining, tonight, people who were responsible for the downfall of Voldemort and the subsequent rebuilding of the Auror corps, the finest defense in the wizarding world. You will know these children and their families by name and honor, and I expect you will give them the respect they deserve, no more, no less."

"Hey, Remus," Harry asked, whispering as the doors opened and the first years started pouring in. "Where's Sirius and Roz?"

Remus thought for a moment. He looked around, and while he saw Roz speaking with Luna at the staff table, his best friend was nowhere to be seen.

"I have no idea, Harry. He told me he had to speak with Severus about something, but I thought he'd come sit with us," Remus said, genuinely perplexed.

"Sh! Here they come!" Tonks said, craning her neck to see her brood.

"A few announcements before I let the Sorting Hat loose on your children, my friends," Albus said, his eyes twinkling. "Some staff re-arrangements. Joining our faculty are Luna Longbottom, Professor of Divining Arts and Professor Sirius Black in the coveted position of Defense Against the Dark Arts. We will also be utilizing the Ministry's visiting lecturer program, with seminars taught by Hogwart's alumnus Ron Weasley, Hermione Weasley nee Granger, and Draco Malfoy-Snape."

Sirius and Hagrid came striding through the large double doors as Ron, Hermione, Draco and Luna all rose from their seats. The applause was deafening, and brought tears to Albus and Minerva's eyes.

"Let the Sorting begin!"

**555555555555**

_**Singing **_

_**Home is where the heart is, **_

_**It's where we started, **_

_**Where we belong **_

_**Come on and sing it **_

_**Home is where the heart is, **_

_**It's where we started, **_

_**Where we belong. **_

The rip in the Sorting Hat opened up, and the ceremony began:

_"Four founders, yes there were._

_Four houses now there are_

_What do you fancy in yourself_

_To help you find your place?_

_"Brave like Godric the Lion himself_

_Or sly like Salazar?_

_Loyal and hardworking as in Helga Hufflepuff_

_Or smarter by far as Rowena Ravenclaw?_

_"You can't know, but yes, I can_

_To help you in your stay_

_Be honest, truthful and open_

_Your mind will lead the way_

_"Now take a seat_

_After that take a bow_

_For then you know_

_Where to go, somehow!"_

"I think he's getting a bit punchy in his old age," Ron said, elbowing Harry as the hat finished its opening sound.

"Yeah. Remember our Sorting?" Harry said, thinking back to how the hat had wanted to put him in Slytherin, and shivering. How would things have turned out if the hat hadn't listened to him?

"Hush! They're starting!" Ginny hissed, clamping a hand over Harry's mouth.

**555555555555**

_**It's tired of music, blood and anger, **_

_**Our three lions love the danger **_

_**Sing your heart out for the young dreams **_

_**And go down in World Cup history **_

A number of students were sorted before it got to the point where our Order members were interested. More students were being sorted into Gryffindor and Slytherin than ever before, and up at the table, it was apparent that Minerva and Severus were more than a bit interested on who got which children from the Order.

"Five galleons I end up with my grandchildren and the Potters. Probably Black's, too," Severus said, plunking the money down on the table between him and Minerva.

"Ten says I get the Lupins, Weasleys, Potters and Blacks," Minerva said, slamming down her own coins.

Albus eyed his wife and friend warily before he stood once again.

"Tonight, we have the privilege of sorting the newest generation of Potters, Weasleys, Snapes, Lupins, and Blacks and everything in between. James Harold Black!"

Sirius and Roz's son scampered up onto the dais and shoved the hat on his head. After a few tense seconds, the Sorting hat shouted:

_"Gryffindor!"_

Minerva took one of Severus's coins and laughed.

"Andromeda Minerva Lupin!"

The first Lupin girl ran up and almost shoved little James off the stool in her haste to be sorted.

_"Slytherin!"_

Severus paled, but snaked out a hand to grab a coin from Minerva's pile. She glared at him.

"I got a Lupin. Now you've been wrong once."

"Apollo Regan Lupin!"

_"Gryffindor!"_

Severus groaned again but tossed another coin onto Minerva's stack.

"Hermione Lillian Lupin!"

_"Slytherin!"_

Severus grabbed another coin and hooted in glee.

"Ginevra Claudia Lupin!"

He looked at the hat and prayed he wasn't going to get all

_"Gryffindor!"_

Minerva grabbed one Severus's coins and laughed.

"You should be so lucky. You could have gotten all of them. Or little James."

"Severus Tobias Snape!"

Severus sat in rapt attention, praying that

_"Ravenclaw!"_

Severus let out a sigh of relief. He and his grandson. . . didn't get along. If only his granddaughter would be sorted into Slytherin

"Eileen-Lillian Narcissa Snape!"

_"Slytherin!"_

Severus whooped and practically jumped out of his chair. He'd never been prouder in his life, but something was niggling at him. The children had been called as 'Snape', but that wasn't on the birth documents. He'd have to speak with Albus and Draco after the feast. And yet they'd still be Sorted in order.

"Remus Albus Potter!"

_"Slytherin!"_

Severus smirked and grabbed a coin from Minerva, who stuck her tongue out at him in a wonderful display of maturity.

"Sirius Severus Potter!"

Minerva cackled at the look on Severus's face. Surely hadn't expected another namesake, but on top of that from Potter?!

_"Gryffindor!"_

"It figures," Severus grumbled, shooting a coin at Minerva.

"Aislinn Minerva Weasley!"

_"Gryffindor!"_

"Kieran Regulus Weasley!"

_"Slytherin!"_

"How can that many children only end up in two out of four houses? And so many for Slytherin. I wonder how all the other parents are going to feel about that," Luna grumbled good-naturedly to her husband. There were no new Ravenclaws or Hufflepuffs in the broods of their friends.

"Well, one of Severus's grandchildren ended up in Ravenclaw," Neville offered, and his wife just glared at him. "Yeah, I guess you wanted someone else's bloodline there, hmm?"

Luna sighed. "Guess we're just going to have to do that ourselves."

"But I thought "

"You thought wrong. I'm due in February. Save the date, dear. You're going to be a daddy."

**555555555555**

_**Now's you chance think of your lovers, **_

_**We are all sisters and brothers. **_

_**Now's you chance think of your lovers, **_

_**We are all sisters and brothers. **_

_**Now's you chance think of your lovers, **_

_**We are all sisters and brothers. **_

The festivities continued well into the night, as Albus and Minerva had wisely decided to start classes late the first day. After the meal, the tables were cleared away and dancing started. Each of our couples managed to dance with their own children once or twice, relishing that last time before they went to school for the year, starting a long and arduous journey of knowledge and adventure.

Lavender and Draco were speaking with Severus himself when their son came over to talk to them.

"Mum, Da, can't they sort me again? I'm sure I'd make it into another house if " Sev began, but this grandfather shook his head.

"One Sorting, that's all any are allowed. The hat knows best, Sev, and you have to obey it. You'll understand"

"You don't care! All you care about is that Ei-Lily ended up in Slytherin, so you're fine! None of my friends are Ravenclaws! Get the Headmaster to do something about it."

"No, Sev," Lavender said, putting her foot down. Draco and Severus stared at her while she continued. "Your grandpa explained it to you already. One Sorting, that's it. And you'll make friends, Sev. Just like your sister will make friends. But you'll still be brother and sister, and you'll still see your friends. Now run along and play or I'll give you a tail to keep you company till you make those friends."

Sev ran off to his sister, who was talking with Apollo and Kieran. Sev tried to grab her hand, but she blew him off, shaking her head at him and pointing to where Apollo's sisters were. Sev gestured at her, but she turned her back on him. He scowled and trotted over to the Lupin girls, who each engaged him in a dance.

"Nicely done, Lavender. Perhaps there is hope for him after all. And he'd never have done well in Slytherin. Too easily pushed, I think, and altogether too smart to be at the whim of that House," Severus said, watching his beloved granddaughter chat with the boys. "Ei-Lily will do just fine under my protection. Once I kill"

"No killing, Da. Ei-Lily knows how to handle people. She even has you wrapped around her finger. What did you want to speak to us about?" Draco said, eyeing his father warily.

"Snape."

"Yes, that is the family name."

"No, you dolt. I thought the children and you two had taken the hyphen route. Why the change, and how did you do it?"

"Tonks helped out with the paperwork. It wouldn't do for the children to grow up with the 'Malfoy taint' when they are truly brave Snapes."

Draco smiled at his father, who returned it for once. The blame and animosity had faded, and they were all just a family now. For good.

"Will somebody _please_ dance with me?" Ei-Lily had shown up, and her black eyes were smiling. Funny, only she had truly gotten the Snape eyes, and they never ceased to melt Severus's heart.

"Sure," Draco said, offering his daughter his arm.

"When I said 'somebody', I meant Gransa."

"Oh. Thanks. What am I, a vomit-flavored Bertie Bott's?"

"Pretty much. Come on, Gransa I want to re-introduce you to Kieran and Apollo."

"All the better to find and kill them before the hormones start," Severus said under his breath.

"What, Gransa?"

"Lovely. Haven't seen them in a while," he lied glibly, gliding across the floor with his granddaughter.

"I knew she'd warm him up," Lavender said quietly.

"I love you, Lav," Draco said, smiling as they began a new dance.

"I love you, too. Care to have a few more?"

"Can we wait until these two are ensconced here?"

"Sounds good to me."

**555555555555**

_**Home is where the heart is, **_

_**It's where we started, **_

_**We're England. **_

Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny all sat at a small table Hermione had transfigured from a pebble she'd found in Kieran's pocket. Ron and Hermione had danced a few times, but Harry and Ginny were rather quiet, focusing on each other and waiting for something.

"You two are rather quiet tonight. Anything you'd care to share?" Hermione was a bit louder than usual, thanks to Tonks spiking their punch. She tried not to imbibe overmuch on her own, so Tonks had made Hermione her special case. This was the result of that case.

"Yeah, what's wrong? Mum is taking care of the rest of our broods, of course Fred and George are there, too. Oh. Fred and George," Ron said, thinking a minute. The youngest of each of their children were at the Burrow, with Molly. And Fred and George. Perhaps that was enough to worry over, then.

Harry shook his head. How could he explain that Hogwart's had been his first true home? Hermione had lived in muggle London, and Ron and Ginny had the Burrow. What did he have, before the letters, Hagrid, and meeting everyone at Hogwart's?

"Y'know," Hermione said, standing a little straighter. "I'm not worried about the kids tonight. I look around, and don't you know, this place was the first place I ever truly felt at home? Back with _them_," Hermione scowled. She'd kept her promise her parents didn't know their grandchildren at all, not even through pictures. She asked Remus and Tonks for advice, when needed, or Molly and Arthur. "I always knew I wasn't what they'd wanted. Serves them right I came here. Here, I learned and I grew strong, and people loved me people who didn't have to love me because I was their child, but loved me anyway for who I am! Don't you feel the same way, Harry?"

Harry nodded gratefully. He still wasn't clear on what had happened with Hermione's parents, because neither she nor Ron would speak of what had transpired. But this told him something. And it was enough.

"Yeah, 'Mione. Before this place, it was the Dursleys. And if it hadn't been for Hogwart's, I wouldn't have Ginny, or you and Ron. Or my grandparents," Harry said, slinging an arm around each Hermione and Ginny. Ron slugged him on the arm, and they all laughed.

Albus and Minerva had been dancing, but they stopped to see the interactions of the grandson and his friends. Both were smiling, but as the dance drew to a close, Albus had one more trick up his sleeve.

"One last thing I had forgotten to mention earlier. With our beloved Madame Hooch run off to join a new quidditch league, we've been accepting applications for flying instructors and Hogwart's Quidditch League patrons. I am pleased to announce that Harry and Ginny Potter have accepted those positions, and will be joining our staff posthaste. Of course, they are still aurors, so they will be sharing the duty with the Snapes and Weasleys, but I'm sure you'll find all of them quite accommodating."

Another round of applause, and the students finally began filing back to their dormitories. Albus and Minerva said goodbyes and accepted congratulations as well as gave them. Sirius and Roz were smiling as they accepted luck from their friends. Severus gave his daughter-in-law a tight hug as he told his family he'd keep an eye on their children. Albus and Minerva cried as Harry and Ginny hugged them tight, before pulling back to let others in.

"Harry, Ginny, will you be living here?" Minerva asked, her eyes bright.

"Perhaps. We still have the rest of the growing brood to consider, as well," Ginny said, smiling.

"Growing?" Minerva asked, eyes wide. Ginny and Harry already had three more not old enough for Hogwart's.

"Lot of that going around," Hermione laughed. "Tonks, didn't you catch it, too?"

Tonks laughed at the look on Remus's face. "Yup. But I hadn't told him yet, 'Mione."

"Sorry, Mum," Hermione joked. The night was still young for the group, and they all ended up outside.

"The stars are beautiful, aren't they?" Ron asked his friends.

"Yeah. Remember our first journey here?" Harry asked, his arms around Ginny.

"Yeah. Hagrid and his carriages. What about the flying car?"

"And the Whomping Willow."

Everyone laughed.

"Do you know how worried we were, Harry?" Albus said, trying to be serious.

"From the man who led us all to believe he was dead and gone?" Harry said, an eyebrow quirked.

"Yes. I assume some things are inherited, hmm?"

As the night grew darker, then lighter as the morning broke. The group broke up, each family heading its separate ways.

**555555555555**

_**Home is where the heart is, **_

_**It's where we started, **_

_**Where we belong **_

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny all managed to run into one another back at the Burrow. Each family had a house, but they were all reluctant to leave one another. It had already been hard enough to see their children enter Hogwart's; it was as if time was telling them they needed to find a new home, a new life.

"I can't believe our children are wandering those hallowed halls now. I guess it isn't our home, anymore," Hermione sighed, resting against Ron's chest as their children packed up to head back to their house.

"Hermione," Ron whispered in her ear, "It doesn't matter. Home is where the heart is."

"I know. And you're my heart."

"And you're mine. Shall we go everyone?"

Children clamored onto their parents and waved to one another.

"We shall."

POP!

**555555555555**

**All right, there it is. And I might even write a sequel. If y'all want one, that is.**

**Thanks for coming along on the ride, and I hope you all enjoyed it. **

**Please try my other stories, under this name and the penname separate-sisters, as well as through links in my profile on this site. You won't be disappointed (I think)**

**Catch you on the reviews page!**

**ladykyo**

**Brenna, of the separate-sisters**


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